Genesis 38:17
in Genesis 38“I will send you a young goat from my flock,” Judah answered. But she replied, “Only if you leave me something as a pledge until you send it.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he said, I will send thee a kid of the goats from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?
KJV
And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?
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This verse in Genesis 38
Commentary
4 notes on this verseWilt thou give me a pledge till thou send it? - The word ערבון erabon signifies an earnest of something promised, a part of the price agreed for between a buyer and seller, by giving and receiving of which the bargain was ratified; or a deposit, which was to be restored when the thing promised should be given.
This site's exposition
a young goat from my flock
on Genesis 38:17-18
The price Judah offers is a young goat from his flock, and Tamar asks for a pledge to hold until the goat comes. She takes his seal, his cord and the staff in his hand, three things that named a man in that country and made his word binding, the way a signature does now. She becomes pregnant by him.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He sent it by his friend, (who was indeed his back-friend, because he was aiding and abetting in his evil deeds) the Adullamite; who came back without the pledge. 'Tis a good account, if it be but true, of any place that which they here gave, that there is no harlot in this place, for such sinners are the scandals and plagues of any place.
And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock,....
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֕אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אָנֹכִ֛י | ʾanokhi | I | H595 → | 359 times |
| אֲשַׁלַּ֥ח | ʾashalach | I will send | H7971 → | 845 times |
| גְּדִֽי־ | gedi- | a kid of | H1423 → | 16 times |
| עִזִּ֖ים | ʾizim | goats | H5795 → | 74 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַצֹּ֑אן | hatzon | the flock | H6629 → | 274 times |
| וַתֹּ֕אמֶר | vatomer | and she said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| תִּתֵּ֥ן | titen | you will give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| עֵרָב֖וֹן | eravon | a pledge | H6162 → | 3 times |
| עַ֥ד | ʾad | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| שָׁלְחֶֽךָ׃ | shalchekha | sending [it] you | H7971 → | 845 times |
וַיֹּ֕אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אָנֹכִ֛יI
ʾanokhiH595 →359 times
אֲשַׁלַּ֥חI will send
ʾashalachH7971 →845 times
גְּדִֽי־a kid of
gedi-H1423 →16 times
עִזִּ֖יםgoats
ʾizimH5795 →74 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַצֹּ֑אןthe flock
hatzonH6629 →274 times
וַתֹּ֕אמֶרand she said
vatomerH559 →5305 times
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
תִּתֵּ֥ןyou will give
titenH5414 →2011 times
עֵרָב֖וֹןa pledge
eravonH6162 →3 times
עַ֥דuntil
ʾadH5704 →1261 times
שָׁלְחֶֽךָ׃sending [it] you
shalchekhaH7971 →845 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
Luke 16:8The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:5
For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
- Ephesians 5:8
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
- John 12:36
While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light.” After Jesus had spoken these things, He went away and was hidden from them.
- Proverbs 6:6–8
Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.
- Luke 16:10
Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:5
Through
Proverbs 20:16Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
it leads to
- Proverbs 27:13
Take the garment of him who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
- Exodus 22:26–27
If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset,
- Proverbs 27:13
Through
Ezekiel 16:33Men give gifts to all their prostitutes, but you gave gifts to all your lovers. You bribed them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors.
it leads to
- Isaiah 57:9
You went to Molech with oil and multiplied your perfumes. You have sent your envoys a great distance; you have descended even to Sheol itself.
- Isaiah 57:9
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; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.