32 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And she arose and went away,.... To her father's house immediately, as soon as ever she had parted with Judah; and lest she should be found by the person that would be sent with the kid, and be discovered, she made all the haste she could: and laid by her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood; that it might not be known or...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite,.... Who went with him to Timnath, and was privy to all this wickedness, and kept the secret; but would have acted the more friendly and faithful part had he dissuaded him from it: him he employed to carry the kid he had promised, and not any of his servants, for the greater secrecy:...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then he asked the men of that place,.... Or "of her place" (d), of the woman's place, supposing that she dwelt somewhere thereabout: saying, where [is] the harlot that [was] openly by the wayside? that sat there very publicly some little time ago: the word for "harlot" (e) comes from another, which signifies to sanctify or separate to holy uses;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her,.... That is, the Adullamite returned to him, and informed him that he could not find the harlot to whom he was sent to deliver the kid and receive the pledge, after he had made the strictest inquiry for her he could: and also the men of the place said, [that] there was no harlot in this...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Judah said, let her take [it] to her,.... The pledge, and make no further inquiry after her; lest we be shamed; Judah for committing fornication, which even among Heathens, at least at that time of day, was reckoned a shameful action; and be laughed at also, for committing such a pledge to an whore, who had tricked him out of it; and his...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass about three months after,.... The above affair happened, and when the pregnancy of Tamar began to be somewhat visible, as it does in women with child about that time: that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot: her being with child being observed by some of the family, or her neighbours,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
When she [was] brought forth,.... From her father's house, not to the place of execution, or in order to be burnt, but to the court of judicature, in order to take tier trial: she sent to her father in law, saying, by the man whose these [are, am] I with child; she sent a messenger to him, and by him the signet, bracelets, and staff, be they what...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Judah acknowledged [them],.... He knew them, and owned them to be his: and said, she hath been more righteous than I; he means, not with respect to the sin of uncleanness committed by them, in which she was the greatest criminal; she sat not only in the way to tempt him to it, but she knew who he was, and wilfully committed incest with him;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass in the time of her travail,.... When her time to bring forth was come, and her pains were on her, and her midwife with her: that, behold, twins [were] in her womb; which the midwife could discover before the birth of either.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass when she travailed,.... Her birth throes came strong and quick upon her: that [the one] put out [his] hand; which showed that she was like to have a difficult and dangerous time of it; that the birth was not like to be according to the usual and natural order, which may be considered as a correction for her sin: and the midwife...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass as he drew back his hand,.... Into the "uterus" again; that, behold, his brother came out; out of his mother's womb, and so was properly born first: and she said; either Tamar, or rather, her midwife: how hast thou broken forth? it was astonishing to her how it could be, having never met with the like in her practice before;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And afterward came out his brother that had the scarlet thread upon his hand,.... By which it was known that he so far came out first; which confirms the remarkable birth of his brother, who notwithstanding got the start of him: and his name was called Zarah; not from "rising", or his coming forth like the rising sun, as is usually observed; but...