Genesis 38:25

23 “Let her keep the items,” Judah replied. “Otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you could not find her.”

24 About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”

As she was being brought out, Tamar sent a message to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these items belong.” And she added, “Please examine them. Whose seal and cord and staff are these?”

26 Judah recognized the items and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again.

27 When the time came for Tamar to give birth, there were twins in her womb.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
As she was being brought out, Tamar sent a message to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these items belong.” And she added, “Please examine them. Whose seal and cord and staff are these?”
KJV
When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.
WEB
When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man who owns these.” She also said, “Please discern whose these are—the signet, and the cords, and the staff.”
ASV
When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and the cords, and the staff.
DARBY
When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man to whom these [belong] am I with child; and she said, Acknowledge, I pray thee, whose are this signet, and this lace, and this staff.
BLB
She [was] being brought out, and she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man to whom these belong, I [am] pregnant.” And she said, “Recognize, please, to whom [are] these—the signet and the cords and the staff.”
ÅB
Men da hun ble ført ut, sendte hun bud til sin svigerfar og lot si: Det er med den mann som eier disse ting, jeg er blitt fruktsommelig. Og hun sa: Se etter hvem som eier dette signet og disse snorer og denne stav!
OTB
Mens hun ble ført ut, sendte hun en beskjed til sin svigerfar og sa: "Jeg er gravid med den mannen som eier disse." Hun la til: "Vennligst undersøk og se hvem sin signetring, snor, og stav dette er."
B1930
Men da hun blev ført ut, sendte hun bud til sin svigerfar og lot si: Det er med den mann som eier disse ting, jeg er blitt fruktsommelig. Og hun sa: Se efter hvem som eier dette signet og disse snorer og denne stav!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Genesis 37:32

    They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe or not.”

    Read in context
  • Genesis 38:18

    “What pledge should I give you?” he asked. She answered, “Your seal and your cord, and the staff in your hand.” So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 50:21

    You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 2:26

    As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets

    Read in context
  • Revelation 20:12

    And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.

    Read in context
  • 1 Corinthians 4:5

    Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

    Read in context
  • Romans 2:16

    on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.

    Read in context