Online Bible

Book of Genesis, Chapter 38

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Genesis 38 NWT - New World TranslationGenesis 38 NWT - New World Translation

Chapter 38 of Genesis—New World Translation (NWT)

  1. ¶ Now in the meantime it came about that when Judah went down from his brothers he pitched [his tent] near a man, an A·dulʹlam·ite,1 and his name was Hiʹrah.
  2. And there Judah got to see a daughter of a certain Caʹnaan·ite,2 and his[a] name was Shuʹa. So he took her and had relations with her.
  3. And she became pregnant. Later she bore a son and he called his name Er.3
  4. Again she became pregnant. In time she bore a son and called his name Oʹnan.
  5. Yet another time she went on to bear a son and then called his name Sheʹlah. Now he[b] happened to be in Achʹzib[c] at the time she bore him.4
  6. ¶ In time Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Taʹmar.5
  7. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, proved to be bad in the eyes of Jehovah;6 hence Jehovah put him to death.7
  8. In view of that Judah said to Oʹnan: “Have relations with[d] your brother’s wife and perform brother-in-law marriage[e] with her and raise up offspring for your brother.”8
  9. But Oʹnan knew that the offspring would not become his;9 and it occurred that when he did have relations with his brother’s wife he wasted his semen on the earth[f] so as not to give offspring to his brother.10
  10. Now what he did was bad in the eyes of Jehovah;11 hence he put him also to death.12
  11. So Judah said to Taʹmar his daughter-in-law: “Dwell as a widow in the house of your father until Sheʹlah my son grows up.”13 For he said to himself:[g] “He too may die like his brothers.”14 Accordingly Taʹmar went and continued to dwell at her own father’s house.15
  12. ¶ Thus the days became many and the daughter of Shuʹa, Judah’s wife,16 died; and Judah kept the period of mourning.17 After that he went up to the shearers of his sheep, he and Hiʹrah his companion the A·dulʹlam·ite,18 to Timʹnah.19
  13. Then it was told to Taʹmar: “Here your father-in-law is going up to Timʹnah to shear his sheep.”20
  14. With that she removed the garments of her widowhood from her and covered herself with a shawl and veiled herself and sat down at the entrance of E·naʹim, which is along the road to Timʹnah. For she saw that Sheʹlah had grown up and yet she had not been given as a wife to him.21
  15. ¶ When Judah caught sight of her, he at once took her for a harlot,[h]22 because she had covered her face.23
  16. So he turned aside to her by the road and said: “Allow me, please, to have relations with you.”24 For he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law.25 However, she said: “What will you give me that you may have relations with me?”26
  17. To this he said: “I myself shall send a kid of the goats from the herd.” But she said: “Will you give a security until you send it?”27
  18. And he continued: “What is the security that I shall give you?” to which she said: “Your seal ring28 and your cord and your rod that is in your hand.” Then he gave them to her and had relations with her, so that she became pregnant by him.
  19. After that she got up and went and removed her shawl off her and clothed herself with the garments of her widowhood.29
  20. ¶ And Judah proceeded to send the kid of the goats by the hand of his companion the A·dulʹlam·ite30 in order to get back the security from the hand of the woman, but he never found her.
  21. And he went inquiring of the men of her place, saying: “Where is that temple prostitute in E·naʹim along the road?” But they kept saying: “No temple prostitute31 has ever been in this place.”
  22. Finally he returned to Judah and said: “I never found her and, besides, the men of the place said, ‘No temple prostitute has ever been in this place.’”
  23. So Judah said: “Let her take them for herself, in order that we may not fall into contempt.32 At any rate, I have sent this kid, but you—you never found her.”
  24. ¶ However, about three months later it happened that it was told to Judah: “Taʹmar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot,33 and here she is also pregnant34 by her harlotry.”[i] At that Judah said: “BRING her out and let her be burned.”35
  25. As she was being brought out she herself sent to her father-in-law, saying: “By the man to whom these belong I am pregnant.”36 And she added: “Examine,37 please, to whom these belong, the seal ring and the cord[j] and the rod.”38
  26. Then Judah examined them and said:39 “She is more righteous than I am,40 for the reason that I did not give her to Sheʹlah my son.”41 And he had no further intercourse with her after that.42
  27. ¶ Now it developed that in the time of her giving birth, why, here there were twins in her belly.
  28. Further, it turned out that when she was giving birth one extended his hand, and the midwife at once took and tied a scarlet piece about his hand, saying: “This one came out first.”
  29. Finally it developed that as soon as he drew back his hand, why, here his brother came out, so that she exclaimed: “What do you mean by this, that you have produced a perineal rupture for yourself?” Hence his name was called Peʹrez.[k]43
  30. And afterward his brother upon whose hand the scarlet piece was came out and his name came to be called Zeʹrah.[l]44

FOOTNOTES

  1. ^ “His,” M; LXXSy, “her.”
  2. ^ “He,” that is, Judah; LXX, “she.”
  3. ^ Understood to be the same as “Achzib” in Jos 15:44 and Mic 1:14; M, “Chezib.”
  4. ^ Lit., “Go in to.”
  5. ^ Or, “levirate marriage.” Jehovah later gave official recognition to this in the Mosaic Law, in De 25:5-9.
  6. ^ Lit., “he wasted [it] on the earth.”
  7. ^ Or, “For he thought.”
  8. ^ Or, “prostitute.” Gr., porʹnen. See 1Co 6:15 ftn.
  9. ^ Or, “fornication.”
  10. ^ “Cord,” TOLXXSyVg; M, “cords.”
  11. ^ Meaning “Perineal Rupture.”
  12. ^ Meaning “A Shining Forth; A Rising.”

REFERENCES

  1. ^ Jos 12:15; 1Sa 22:1
  2. ^ Ge 24:3; 28:1
  3. ^ Nu 26:19
  4. ^ Jos 19:29; Jg 1:31
  5. ^ Mt 1:3
  6. ^ De 21:20; Ga 5:19; 1Pe 3:12
  7. ^ 2Sa 6:7; Ac 12:23
  8. ^ De 25:5, 6; Ru 1:11; Mt 22:24
  9. ^ Ru 4:6
  10. ^ De 25:9
  11. ^ Is 65:12
  12. ^ 1Ch 2:3; Ps 55:23
  13. ^ Ru 1:13; Mt 22:24
  14. ^ Nu 26:19
  15. ^ Le 22:13
  16. ^ Ge 38:2
  17. ^ Nu 20:29; De 34:8
  18. ^ Ge 38:1
  19. ^ Jos 15:10; Jg 14:1
  20. ^ 1Sa 25:4
  21. ^ De 25:5; Ru 1:11; Mt 22:24
  22. ^ Je 3:2
  23. ^ Pr 7:10
  24. ^ 1Co 6:18; Heb 13:4
  25. ^ Ge 38:11
  26. ^ De 23:18; Eze 16:33; Lu 15:30
  27. ^ Pr 20:16
  28. ^ Ge 41:42; 1Ki 21:8; Es 8:8; Da 6:17
  29. ^ 2Sa 14:2
  30. ^ Ge 38:1
  31. ^ De 23:17
  32. ^ Pr 6:33; 12:14; 18:3; Ro 6:21; 2Co 4:2; Eph 5:12
  33. ^ Ge 34:31; Nu 5:12
  34. ^ Ge 19:36; 2Sa 11:5
  35. ^ Le 21:9; De 24:16
  36. ^ Ge 38:16; Pr 18:17; 1Co 4:5
  37. ^ Ge 31:32; 37:32; Le 19:15
  38. ^ Ge 38:18
  39. ^ Ro 2:1
  40. ^ 1Sa 24:17; Jb 33:27; Pr 11:6
  41. ^ Ge 38:11; De 25:5; Ru 3:12
  42. ^ Jb 34:32
  43. ^ Ge 46:12; Ru 4:12; 1Ch 2:4; Lu 3:33
  44. ^ 1Ch 9:6; Mt 1:3

Read Genesis Chapter 38 in other Bible versions:

Comments

  1. David yakubuDavid yakubu
    Oct 29, 2022 08:05 GMT

    When i do read some comments and seeing that its the same people that are supposed to be called believers but are talking ill of other denominations, it hurts. Let us all remember that We should judge not

    1. jonas smithjonas smith
      Apr 23, 2023 02:57 GMT

      The bible tells us to test the spirits. Satan disguises himself as angel of light. So yes some denomination are not teaching the truth. You are responsible for judging which ones are not. You have to judge the truth at all times. this is what the bible teaches

  2. THTH
    Apr 7, 2021 00:20 GMT

    The NWT is a very good translation. Dr. Jason David BeDuhn PhD attests to that in his book Truth in Translation. drive.google.com/...5p16melHzg8/view

    1. James LernerJames Lerner
      Jul 20, 2024 09:48 GMT

      The NWT is Satanic filth to its very core.

      The JW Cult is Satanic to its very core.

      Praise Yahweh I will never be a victim of JW brainwashing. If I burn in Hell for eternity or I am ultimately annihilated so be it

      May Yahweh's curse rest on the Watchtower Society and its Satanic leadership

    2. jim mcleodjim mcleod
      Aug 22, 2021 06:16 GMT

      NWT is a false translation that takes away from the deity of Jesus !

  3. SlightlyChaoticSlightlyChaotic
    Jan 30, 2021 16:33 GMT

    Thank you for taking the time to provide this service. I like seeing the NASB on your web page in the same format as I read on paper. On other sites, the text area is smaller, and so I have to keep scrolling down to read and sometimes I lose the context. So I really appreciate the format.

    As far as the NWT, you are certainly free to do whatever you think best with your own web pages. I'd suggest that you make a note anytime you have a translation that is associated with only one denomination or church, for example:
    New World Translation (Jehovah's Witness version).

    In Jesus' parable of the wheat and the tares. the main idea seems to be that you can't easily distinguish between God's people and not-God's people on this earth, so our Lord's response is to wait until they are shown to be the kind of people they are inside. But the NWT seems like false teaching to me. So I think the warning passages from Jesus' apostles are more applicable, as in 2 Peter 3:15-16, when he talks about Paul's writings:
    "There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures."
    And we also have the positive exhortations, as in 2 Timothy 2:15:
    "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

    1. BroderickBroderick
      Jan 31, 2021 00:57 GMT

      Your suggestion regarding the denominational flagging is duly noted. But I can’t help but wonder, wouldn’t a Catholic also want “Protestant versions” marked as well?

      As for the parable, I’m pretty sure the slaves were convinced in their own minds that they could tell the tares from the wheat. After all, aren’t they the ones who identified the problem in the first place? But the master obviously thought otherwise.

      Furthermore, even at the time when Jesus himself was walking the earth, not everybody who claimed fellowship actually followed him causing John to inquire at Mark 9:39, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him . . . for he who is not against us is for us.”

  4. Joshua HarderJoshua Harder
    Dec 11, 2020 17:48 GMT

    Hello, question.. why have you included the NWT with other legitimate bible translations? Or why have you not atleast included a warning to readers? Don't you fear that someone could be influenced by the Watchtower's intentional heresies? Thank you.

    1. KevinKevin
      Jul 11, 2021 17:45 GMT

      en.m.wikipedia.org/..._Holy_Scriptures

      See the section critical review

    2. ChrisChris
      Jan 8, 2021 07:15 GMT

      Please site these intentional heresies. I am well versed in the watch tower outline and agree they are in many ways incorrect but i also bet i can point many out from EVERY established or main denomination. There is much to learn from them all as one who drinks milk?

      Judge not lest ye be judged, that is not to pass judgement on you either brother.

      I debate with scripture. I don't hold it to be true that Michael is Y'Shua HaMeshiach but I also firmly hold it to be true that our G-d and Heavenly Father are not the word encarnate and only begotten son.

      I love not seeing "lord" which i relate to baal. I feel the catholic church is a satanic establishment and I am aware a freemason started the hovies but there are evil in high places and our fight is also with principalities.

      What i'm saying is that in my darkest hours, those two were some of if not the only ones who would bring a Bible and eucharist and pray with me.

      We all fall short of the glory of G-d.

      Don't forget the NWT was recognized as the most accurate translation on Jeopardy.

      Lastly, this is different I noted than the NWT i have read and am very familiar with. Pull up the watchtower page and compare. I truly look forward to getting this one!

  5. julietjuliet
    Aug 17, 2022 09:36 GMT

    the sky is blue

  6. mercymercy
    Aug 12, 2022 21:23 GMT

    i am Mercy, the sky is blue what else do you need

    1. mercymercy
      Aug 12, 2022 21:25 GMT

      i am so sorry, it was a big mistake

  7. God is able to do all thingsGod is able to do all things
    May 17, 2021 17:59 GMT

    Jesus how much love calling yo name

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