GENESIS CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT OVERVIEW
Overall what is happening in this chapter is that find the character of Judah and the children that he fathered.
Thomas Coke (1801) – Genesis 38
Judah begetteth Er, Onan, and Shelah. Tamar deceiveth Judah, and brings forth Pharez and Zarah.
John Gill (1746) – Genesis 38
This chapter is wholly taken up with matters relating to Judah, the fourth son of Jacob, from whom the Jews have their name, and from whom Christ sprung: it treats of his marriage with a Canaanitess, his children by her, their character and end, Genesis 38:1; of his incest with his daughter-in-law, though unknown by him, Genesis 38:12; of his resentment against her, when he heard she was with child, and his confusion when he found it was by himself, Genesis 38:24; and of the birth of twins by her, named Pharez and Zarah, Genesis 38:27.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (1897) – Genesis 38
This episode is no interruption of the narrative, for, as we have seen, the Tôldôth Jacob is the history generally of Jacob’s posterity, and especially of the next great event in their development into a nation, namely the descent into Egypt. Two main reasons may be assigned therefore for giving this history of Judah’s life; the first, that it shows the great risk of utter contamination incurred by the patriarchs in living among the Canaanites; the second, and more important, that Judah was invested by his father with the rights of primogeniture, and therefore that this history belongs to the genealogy of the Messiah.
Joseph Benson’s Commentary (1857) – Genesis 38
How little reason had the Jews, who were so called from this Judah, to boast, as they did, that they were not born of fornication! (See John 8:41) We have in this chapter:
(1) Judah’s marriage and issue, and the untimely death of his two eldest sons, Genesis 38:1-11.
(2) Judah’s incest with his daughter-in-law Tamar, Genesis 38:12-23.
(3) His confusion when it was discovered, Genesis 38:24-26.
(4) The birth of his twin sons, in whom his family was built up, Genesis 38:27-30.
Thomas Constable (2012) – Genesis 38
This chapter seems at first out of place since it interrupts the story of Joseph, but we must remember that this is the toledot of Jacob. This is the story of what happened to his whole family, not just Joseph. The central problem with which the chapter deals is childlessness. The events of the chapter must span at least 20 years, years during which Joseph was lost to his family (cf. Genesis 37:2; Genesis 41:46-47; Genesis 45:6).
Judah tried unsuccessfully to ensure the levirite rights of his daughter-in-law Tamar. As a last resort Tamar deceived him into having sexual intercourse with her by masquerading as a prostitute. She thereby maintained her right to become the mother of Judah's children, the younger of which displaced his older twin in an unusual birth.
Matthew Henry (1714) – Genesis 38
This chapter gives us an account of Judah and his family, and such an account it is that one would wonder that, of all Jacob's sons, our Lord should spring out of Judah, (see Hebrews 7:14). If we were to form a character of him by this story, we should not say, “Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise,” (see Genesis 49:8). But God will show that his choice is of grace and not of merit, and that Christ came into the world to save sinners, even the chief, and is not ashamed, upon their repentance, to be allied to them, also that the worth and worthiness of Jesus Christ are personal, of himself, and not derived from his ancestors. Humbling himself to be “made in the likeness of sinful flesh,” he was pleased to descend from some that were infamous. How little reason had the Jews, who were so called from this Judah, to boast, as they did, that they were not born of fornication! (see John 8:41).
We have, in this chapter:
I. Judah's marriage and issue, and the untimely death of his two eldest sons (Genesis 38:1-11).
II. Judah's incest with his daughter-in-law Tamar, without his knowing it (Genesis 38:12-23).
III. His confusion, when it was discovered (Genesis 38:24-26).
IV. The birth of his twin sons, in whom his family was built up (Genesis 38:27, etc.).
KEY VERSE
Genesis 38:1 And it came about at that time, that Judah departed from his brothers and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
KEY EVENT
Tamar is treated as a prostitute and has a child by her father-in-law Judah.
KEY EXPLANATION
“Some observe that the four eldest sons of Jacob fell under very foul guilt, Reuben and Judah under the guilt of incest, Simeon and Levi under that of murder; yet they were patriarchs, and from Levi descended the priests, from Judah the kings and the Messiah. Thus they became examples of repentance, and monuments of pardoning mercy.” Matthew Henry
KEY QUOTE
“Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.”
