Genesis 38:12
in Genesis 38After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had finished mourning, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And in process of time Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheep-shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
KJV
And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
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This verse in Genesis 38
Commentary
5 notes on this verse(Verse 12.) And Judas, having been comforted, went up to those who were shearing his sheep: himself, and his shepherd Hirah the Odollamite. For the shepherd is read as a friend. But the word is ambiguous, because with the same letters both names are written: but the friend Ree is read as the shepherd Roe.
This site's exposition
his sheepshearers at Timnah
on Genesis 38:12-14
Judah's wife dies, and he goes up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, to a sheepshearing Jamieson calls the most festive season of the farming year. Tamar puts off her widow's garments, covers her face with a veil, and sits at the entrance to Enaim on his road. Shelah had grown up and she was still a widow.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And in process of time the daughter of Shuah, Judah's wife, died,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
In process of time - This phrase, which is in general use in the Bible, needs explanation; the original is וירבו הימים vaiyirbu haiyamim, and the days were multiplied. Though it implies an indefinite time, yet it generally embraces a pretty long period, and in this place may mean several years.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Judah . . . went up unto his sheep-shearers--This season, which occurs in Palestine towards the end of March, was spent in more than usual hilarity, and the wealthiest masters invited their friends, as well as treated their servants, to sumptuous entertainments. Accordingly, it is said, Judah was accompanied by his friend Hirah.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
He would go there continually to console himself after his wife’s death so that he may turn his attention to the sheep and forget his poverty. 170 Proverbs:7.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
ABIDE A WIDOW AT THY FATHER’s HOUSE. The meaning thereof is that “you should conduct yourself there as a widow until Shelah be grown up.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 1 further source is cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּרְבּוּ֙ | vaiyirbu | and they increased | H7235 → | 227 times |
| הַיָּמִ֔ים | haiyamim | the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| וַתָּ֖מָת | vatamot | and she died | H4191 → | 839 times |
| בַּת־ | bat- | [the] daughter of | H1323 → | 588 times |
| שׁ֣וּעַ | shua' | Shua | H7770 → | |
| אֵֽשֶׁת־ | ʾeshet- | [the] wife of | H802 → | 781 times |
| יְהוּדָ֑ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם | vaiyinachem | and he was comforted | H5162 → | 108 times |
| יְהוּדָ֗ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| וַיַּ֜עַל | vaiyaal | and he went up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | to | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| גֹּֽזֲזֵ֤י | gozazei | [the] shearers of | H1494 → | 15 times |
| צֹאנוֹ֙ | tzono | sheep his | H6629 → | 274 times |
| ה֗וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| וְחִירָ֛ה | vechirah | and Hirah | H2437 → | |
| רֵעֵ֥הוּ | reehu | friend his | H7453 → | 188 times |
| הָעֲדֻלָּמִ֖י | haadulami | the Adullamite | H5726 → | 3 times |
| תִּמְנָֽתָה׃ | timnatah | Timnah towards | H8553 → | 12 times |
וַיִּרְבּוּ֙and they increased
vaiyirbuH7235 →227 times
הַיָּמִ֔יםthe days
haiyamimH3117 →2304 times
וַתָּ֖מָתand she died
vatamotH4191 →839 times
בַּת־[the] daughter of
bat-H1323 →588 times
שׁ֣וּעַShua
shua'H7770 →
אֵֽשֶׁת־[the] wife of
ʾeshet-H802 →781 times
יְהוּדָ֑הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
וַיִּנָּ֣חֶםand he was comforted
vaiyinachemH5162 →108 times
יְהוּדָ֗הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
וַיַּ֜עַלand he went up
vaiyaalH5927 →890 times
עַל־to
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
גֹּֽזֲזֵ֤י[the] shearers of
gozazeiH1494 →15 times
צֹאנוֹ֙sheep his
tzonoH6629 →274 times
ה֗וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
וְחִירָ֛הand Hirah
vechirahH2437 →
רֵעֵ֥הוּfriend his
reehuH7453 →188 times
הָעֲדֻלָּמִ֖יthe Adullamite
haadulamiH5726 →3 times
תִּמְנָֽתָה׃Timnah towards
timnatahH8553 →12 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joshua 15:10The border curled westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), went down to Beth-shemesh, and crossed to Timnah.
it leads to
- Judges 14:1
One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman.
- Judges 14:1
Through
Genesis 24:67And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.
it leads to
- Song of Solomon 8:2
I would lead you and bring you to the house of my mother who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.
- Ephesians 5:22–33
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
- Song of Solomon 8:2
Through
1 Samuel 25:36When Abigail returned to Nabal, there he was in the house, holding a feast fit for a king, in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until morning light.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 25:19
and said to her young men, “Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
- 1 Samuel 25:19
Through
2 Samuel 13:39And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnon’s death.
it leads to
- Genesis 24:67
And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.
- Genesis 24:67
Through
Judges 14:1One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman.
it leads to
- Joshua 19:43
Elon, Timnah, Ekron,
- 1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.
- Joshua 15:10
The border curled westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), went down to Beth-shemesh, and crossed to Timnah.
- Joshua 19:43
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.