^38:2There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man⁴ named Shua.⁵ Judah acquired her as a wife⁶ and had marital relations with her.⁷^38:3She became pregnant⁸ and had a son. Judah named⁹ him Er. ^38:4She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan. ^38:5Then she had¹⁰ yet another son, whom she named Shelah. She gave birth to him in Kezib.¹¹

^38:6Judah acquired¹² a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. ^38:7But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him.

^38:8Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with¹³ your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise¹⁴ up a descendant for your brother.”¹⁵^38:9But Onan knew that the child¹⁶ would not be considered his.¹⁷ So whenever¹⁸ he had sexual relations with¹⁹ his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely²⁰ so as not to give his brother a descendant. ^38:10What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord²¹ killed him too.

^38:11Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son grows up.” For he thought,²² “I don’t want him to die like his brothers.”²³ So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

^38:12After some time²⁴ Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah was consoled, he left for Timnah to visit his sheepshearers, along with²⁵ his friend Hirah the Adullamite. ^38:13Tamar was told,²⁶ “Look, your father-in-law is going up²⁷ to Timnah to shear his sheep.” ^38:14So she removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil. She wrapped herself and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the way to Timnah. (She did this because²⁸ she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.)²⁹

^38:15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute³⁰ because she had covered her face. ^38:16He turned aside to her along the road and said, “Come on! I want to have sex with you.”³¹ (He did not realize³² it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, “What will you give me in exchange for having sex with you?”³³^38:17He replied, “I’ll send you a young goat from the flock.” She asked, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?”³⁴^38:18He said, “What pledge should I give you?” She replied, “Your seal, your cord, and the staff that’s in your hand.” So he gave them to her and had sex with her.³⁵ She became pregnant by him. ^38:19She left immediately,³⁶ removed her veil, and put on her widow’s clothes.

^38:20Then Judah had his friend Hirah³⁷ the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge,³⁸ but Hirah³⁹ could not find her. ^38:21He asked the men who were there,⁴⁰ “Where is the cult prostitute⁴¹ who was at Enaim by the road?” But they replied, “There has been no cult prostitute here.” ^38:22So he returned to Judah and said, “I couldn’t find her. Moreover, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’ ” ^38:23Judah said, “Let her keep the things⁴² for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest.⁴³ I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”

^38:24After three months Judah was told,⁴⁴ “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution,⁴⁵ and as a result she has become pregnant.”⁴⁶ Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” ^38:25While they were bringing her out, she sent word⁴⁷ to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.”⁴⁸ Then she said, “Identify⁴⁹ the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong.” ^38:26Judah recognized them and said, “She is more upright⁵⁰ than I am, because I wouldn’t give her to Shelah my son.” He did not have sexual relations with her⁵¹ again.

^38:27When it was time for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. ^38:28While she was giving birth, one child⁵² put out his hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” ^38:29But then he drew back his hand, and his brother came out before him.⁵³ She said, “How you have broken out of the womb!”⁵⁴ So he was named Perez.⁵⁵^38:30Afterward his brother came out—the one who had the scarlet thread on his hand—and he was named Zerah.⁵⁶

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

^39:1Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt.¹ An Egyptian named Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard,² purchased him from³ the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. ^39:2The Lord was with Joseph. He was successful⁴ and lived⁵ in the household of his Egyptian master. ^39:3His master observed that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he was doing successful.⁶^39:4So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant.⁷ Potiphar appointed Joseph⁸ overseer of his household and put him in charge⁹ of everything he owned. ^39:5From the time¹⁰ Potiphar¹¹ appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed¹² the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, both¹³ in his house and in his fields.¹⁴^39:6So Potiphar¹⁵ left¹⁶ everything he had in Joseph’s care;¹⁷ he gave no thought¹⁸ to anything except the food he ate.¹⁹

Now Joseph was well built and good-looking.²⁰^39:7Soon after these things, his master’s wife took notice of²¹ Joseph and said, “Have sex with me.”²²^39:8But he refused, saying²³ to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not give any thought²⁴ to his household with me here,²⁵ and everything that he owns he has put into my care.²⁶^39:9There is no one greater in this household than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife. So how could I do²⁷ such a great evil and sin against God?” ^39:10Even though she continued to speak²⁸ to Joseph day after day, he did not respond²⁹ to her invitation to have sex with her.³⁰

^39:11One day³¹ he went into the house to do his work when none of the household servants³² were there in the house. ^39:12She grabbed him by his outer garment, saying, “Have sex with me!” But he left his outer garment in her hand and ran³³ outside.³⁴^39:13When she saw that he had left his outer garment in her hand and had run outside, ^39:14she called for her household servants and said to them, “See, my husband brought³⁵ in a Hebrew man³⁶ to us to humiliate us.³⁷ He tried to have sex with me,³⁸ but I screamed loudly.³⁹^39:15When he heard me raise⁴⁰ my voice and scream, he left his outer garment beside me and ran outside.”

^39:16So she laid his outer garment beside her until his master came home. ^39:17This is what she said to him:⁴¹ “That Hebrew slave⁴² you brought to us tried to humiliate me,⁴³^39:18but when I raised my voice and screamed, he left his outer garment and ran outside.”

^39:19When his master heard his wife say,⁴⁴ “This is the way⁴⁵ your slave treated me,”⁴⁶ he became furious.⁴⁷^39:20Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the prison,⁴⁸ the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. So he was there in the prison.⁴⁹

^39:21But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness.⁵⁰ He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden.⁵¹^39:22The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care. He was in charge of whatever they were doing.⁵²^39:23The warden did not concern himself⁵³ with anything that was in Joseph’s⁵⁴ care because the Lord was with him and whatever he was doing the Lord was making successful.

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Footnotes

1 Heb “went down from.”
2 Heb “and he turned aside unto.”
3 Heb “a man, an Adullamite.”
4 Heb “a man, a Canaanite.”
5 Heb “and his name was Shua.”
6 Heb “and he took her.”
7 Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
8 Or “she conceived” (also in the following verse).
9 Some read this verb as feminine, “she called,” to match the pattern of the next two verses. But the , “he called,” should probably be retained as the more difficult reading. Heb “and he called his name.” The referent (Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10 Heb “and she added again and she gave birth.” The first verb and the adverb emphasize that she gave birth once more.
11 Or “and he [i.e., Judah] was in Kezib when she gave birth to him.”
12 Heb “and Judah took.”
13 Heb “go to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
14 The imperative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose.
15 Raise up a descendant for your brother. The purpose of this custom, called the levirate system, was to ensure that no line of the family would become extinct. The name of the deceased was to be maintained through this custom of having a child by the nearest relative. See M. Burrows, “Levirate Marriage in Israel,” 59 (1940): 23–33.
16 Heb “offspring.”
17 Heb “would not be his,” that is, legally speaking. Under the levirate system the child would be legally considered the child of his deceased brother.
18 The construction shows that this was a repeated practice and not merely one action. The text makes it clear that the purpose of the custom was to produce an heir for the deceased brother. Onan had no intention of doing that. But he would have sex with the girl as much as he wished. He was willing to use the law to gratify his desires, but was not willing to do the responsible thing.
19 Heb “he went to.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
20 Heb “he spoiled [his semen] to the ground.” Onan withdrew prematurely and ejaculated on the ground to prevent his brother’s widow from becoming pregnant.
21 Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
22 Heb “said.”
23 Heb “Otherwise he will die, also he, like his brothers.” I don’t want him to die like his brothers. This clause explains that Judah had no intention of giving Shelah to Tamar for the purpose of the levirate marriage. Judah apparently knew the nature of his sons, and feared that God would be angry with the third son and kill him as well.
24 After some time. There is not enough information in the narrative to know how long this was. The text says “the days increased.” It was long enough for Shelah to mature and for Tamar to realize she would not have him.
25 Heb “and he went up to the shearers of his sheep, he and.”
26 Heb “And it was told to Tamar, saying.”
27 The active participle indicates the action was in progress or about to begin.
28 The Hebrew text simply has “because,” connecting this sentence to what precedes. For stylistic reasons the words “she did this” are supplied in the translation and a new sentence begun.
29 Heb “she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she was not given to him as a wife.”
30 Heb “he reckoned her for a prostitute,” which was what Tamar had intended for him to do. She obviously had some idea of his inclinations, or she would not have tried this risky plan.
31 Heb “I will go to you.” The imperfect verbal form probably indicates his desire here. The expression “go to” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
32 Heb “for he did not know that.”
33 Heb “when you come to me.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
34 Heb “until you send.”
35 Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
36 Heb “and she arose and left,” the first verb in the pair emphasizing that she wasted no time.
37 Heb “sent by the hand of his friend.” Here the name of the friend (“Hirah”) has been included in the translation for clarity.
38 Heb “to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand.”
39 Heb “he”; the referent (Judah’s friend Hirah the Adullamite) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
40 Heb “the men of her place,” that is, who lived at the place where she had been.
41 The Hebrew noun translated “cult prostitute” is derived from a verb meaning “to be set apart; to be distinct.” Thus the term refers to a woman who did not marry, but was dedicated to temple service as a cult prostitute. The masculine form of this noun is used for male cult prostitutes. Judah thought he had gone to an ordinary prostitute (v. 15); but Hirah went looking for a cult prostitute, perhaps because it had been a sheep-shearing festival. For further discussion see E. M. Yamauchi, “Cultic Prostitution,” Orient and Occident (), 213–23.
42 The words “the things” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
43 Heb “we will become contemptible.” The Hebrew word בּוּז (buz) describes the contempt that a respectable person would have for someone who is worthless, foolish, or disreputable.
44 Heb “it was told to Judah, saying.”
45 Or “has been sexually promiscuous.” The verb may refer here to loose or promiscuous activity, not necessarily prostitution.
46 Heb “and also look, she is with child by prostitution.”
47 Heb “she was being brought out and she sent.” The juxtaposition of two clauses, both of which place the subject before the predicate, indicates synchronic action.
48 Heb “who these to him.”
49 Or “recognize; note.” This same Hebrew verb (נָכַר, nakhar) is used at the beginning of v. 26, where it is translated “recognized.”
50 Traditionally “more righteous”; cf. , , “more in the right.” She is more upright than I. Judah had been irresponsible and unfaithful to his duty to see that the family line continued through the levirate marriage of his son Shelah. Tamar fought for her right to be the mother of Judah’s line. When she was not given Shelah and Judah’s wife died, she took action on her own to ensure that the line did not die out. Though deceptive, it was a desperate and courageous act. For Tamar it was within her rights; she did nothing that the law did not entitle her to do. But for Judah it was wrong because he thought he was going to a prostitute. See also Susan Niditch, “The Wronged Woman Righted: An Analysis of Genesis 38,” 72 (1979): 143–48.
51 Heb “and he did not add again to know her.” Here “know” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
52 The word “child” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
53 Heb “Look, his brother came out.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through the midwife’s eyes. The words “before him” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
54 Heb “How you have made a breach for yourself!” The Hebrew verb translated “make a breach” frequently occurs, as here, with a cognate accusative. The event provided the meaningful name Perez, “he who breaks through.”
55 The name Perez means “he who breaks through,” referring to Perez reaching out his hand at birth before his brother was born. The naming signified the completion of Tamar’s struggle and also depicted the destiny of the tribe of Perez who later became dominant (Gen 46:12 and Num 26:20). Judah and his brothers had sold Joseph into slavery, thinking they could thwart God’s plan that the elder brothers should serve the younger. God demonstrated that principle through these births in Judah’s own family, affirming that the elder will serve the younger, and that Joseph’s leadership could not so easily be set aside. See J. Goldin, “The Youngest Son; or, Where Does Genesis 38 Belong?” 96 (1977): 27–44.
56 Perhaps the child was named Zerah because of the scarlet thread. Though the Hebrew word used for “scarlet thread” in v. 28 is not related to the name Zerah, there is a related root in Babylonian and western Aramaic that means “scarlet” or “scarlet thread.” In Hebrew the name appears to be derived from a root meaning “to shine.” The name could have originally meant something like “shining one” or “God has shined.” Zerah became the head of a tribe (Num 26:20) from whom Achan descended (Josh 7:1).
1 The disjunctive clause resumes the earlier narrative pertaining to Joseph by recapitulating the event described in 37:36. The perfect verbal form is given a past perfect translation to restore the sequence of the narrative for the reader.
2 Captain of the guard. See the note on this phrase in .
3 Heb “from the hand of.”
4 Heb “and he was a prosperous man.” This does not mean that Joseph became wealthy, but that he was successful in what he was doing, or making progress in his situation (see 24:21).
5 Heb “and he was.”
6 The Hebrew text adds “in his hand,” a phrase not included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
7 The Hebrew verb translated became his personal attendant refers to higher domestic service, usually along the lines of a personal attendant. Here Joseph is made the household steward, a position well-attested in Egyptian literature.
8 Heb “him”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9 Heb “put into his hand.”
10 Heb “and it was from then.”
11 Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12 The Hebrew word translated blessed carries the idea of enrichment, prosperity, success. It is the way believers describe success at the hand of God. The text illustrates the promise made to Abraham that whoever blesses his descendants will be blessed (Gen 12:1–3).
13 Heb “in the house and in the field.” The word “both” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
14 The passage gives us a good picture of Joseph as a young man who was responsible and faithful, both to his master and to his God. This happened within a very short time of his being sold into Egypt. It undermines the view that Joseph was a liar, a tattletale, and an arrogant adolescent.
15 Heb “he”; the referent (Potiphar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
16 The Hebrew verb translated left indicates he relinquished the care of it to Joseph. This is stronger than what was said earlier. Apparently Potiphar had come to trust Joseph so much that he knew it was in better care with Joseph than with anyone else.
17 Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.
18 Heb “did not know.”
19 The expression except the food he ate probably refers to Potiphar’s private affairs and should not be limited literally to what he ate.
20 Heb “handsome of form and handsome of appearance.” The same Hebrew expressions were used in Gen 29:17 for Rachel.
21 Heb “she lifted up her eyes toward,” an expression that emphasizes her deliberate and careful scrutiny of him.
22 Heb “lie with me.” Here the expression “lie with” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse. The story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife has long been connected with the wisdom warnings about the strange woman who tries to seduce the young man with her boldness and directness (see Prov 5–7, especially 7:6–27). This is part of the literary background of the story of Joseph that gives it a wisdom flavor. See G. von Rad, God at Work in Israel, 19–35; and G. W. Coats, “The Joseph Story and Ancient Wisdom: A Reappraisal,” 35 (1973): 285–97.
23 Heb “and he said.”
24 Heb “know.”
25 The word “here” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
26 Heb “hand.” This is a metonymy for being under the control or care of Joseph.
27 The nuance of potential imperfect fits this context.
28 The verse begins with the temporal indicator, followed by the infinitive construct with the preposition ךְּ (ké). This clause could therefore be taken as temporal.
29 Heb “listen to.”
30 Heb “to lie beside her to be with her.” Here the expression “to lie beside” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
31 Heb “and it was about this day.”
32 Heb “the men of the house.”
33 Heb “he fled and he went out.” The construction emphasizes the point that Joseph got out of there quickly.
34 For discussion of this episode, see A. M. Honeyman, “The Occasion of Joseph’s Temptation,” 2 (1952): 85–87.
35 The verb has no expressed subject, and so it could be treated as a passive (“a Hebrew man was brought in”; cf. ). But it is clear from the context that her husband brought Joseph into the household, so Potiphar is the apparent referent here. Thus the translation supplies “my husband” as the referent of the unspecified pronominal subject of the verb (cf. , ).
36 A Hebrew man. Potiphar’s wife raises the ethnic issue when talking to her servants about what their boss had done.
37 Heb “to make fun of us.” The verb translated “to humiliate us” here means to hold something up for ridicule, or to toy with something harmfully. Attempted rape would be such an activity, for it would hold the victim in contempt.
38 Heb “he came to me to lie with me.” Here the expression “lie with” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
39 Heb “and I cried out with a loud voice.”
40 Heb “that I raised.”
41 Heb “and she spoke to him according to these words, saying.”
42 That Hebrew slave. Now, when speaking to her husband, Potiphar’s wife refers to Joseph as a Hebrew slave, a very demeaning description.
43 Heb “came to me to make fun of me.” The statement needs no explanation because of the connotations of “came to me” and “to make fun of me.” See the note on the expression “humiliate us” in v. .
44 Heb “and when his master heard the words of his wife which she spoke to him, saying.”
45 Heb “according to these words.”
46 Heb “did to me.”
47 Heb “his anger burned.”
48 Heb “the house of roundness,” suggesting that the prison might have been a fortress or citadel.
49 The story of Joseph is filled with cycles and repetition: He has two dreams (chap. 37), he interprets two dreams in prison (chap. 40) and the two dreams of Pharaoh (chap. 41), his brothers make two trips to see him (chaps. 42–43), and here, for the second time (see 37:24), he is imprisoned for no good reason, with only his coat being used as evidence. For further discussion see H. Jacobsen, “A Legal Note on Potiphar’s Wife,” 69 (1976): 177.
50 Heb “and he extended to him loyal love.”
51 Or “the chief jailer” (also in the following verses).
52 Heb “all which they were doing there, he was doing.” This probably means that Joseph was in charge of everything that went on in the prison.
53 Heb “was not looking at anything.”
54 Heb “his”; the referent (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.