King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
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]?
Complete Jewish Bible:
He said, "I will send you a kid from the flock of goats." She said, "Will you also give me something as a guarantee until you send it"
Berean Standard Bible:
“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.”
American Standard Version:
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 with Strong’s Numbers:
And he said{H559}, I will send{H7971} thee a kid{H5795}{H1423} from the flock{H6629}. And she said{H559}, Wilt thou give{H5414} me a pledge{H6162}, till thou send{H7971} it?
Cross-References (KJV):
Ezekiel 16:33
- They give gifts to all whores: but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom.
Genesis 38:20
- And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive [his] pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.
Genesis 38:24
- ¶ And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she [is] with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
Genesis 38:25
- When she [was] brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these [are, am] I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose [are] these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.
Luke 16:8
- And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
Proverbs 20:16
- ¶ Take his garment that is surety [for] a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Genesis 38:17
Genesis 38:17 is part of the narrative involving Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar. The broader chapter is a departure from the Joseph narrative and focuses on the family line of Judah. This verse occurs within the context of a Levirate marriage custom, where Tamar, having been widowed without a child, is entitled to have children through Judah's third son in order to preserve her late husband's lineage.
**Themes:**
1. **Levirate Marriage:** The practice of a man marrying his brother's widow to produce offspring for the deceased brother, which was a cultural and legal requirement at the time.
2. **Deception and Morality:** The story includes elements of deception (Tamar deceives Judah into thinking she is a prostitute) and raises questions about morality and justice.
3. **Promise and Pledge:** The verse highlights the cultural importance of giving a pledge as a guarantee of a promise, in this case, Judah's promise to send a kid from the flock as payment for Tamar's services.
4. **Family Dynamics and Responsibility:** Judah's interactions with Tamar reflect the complex family relationships and the responsibilities that come with them, including the duty to ensure the continuity of the family line.
**Historical Context:**
The events of Genesis 38 are set in the patriarchal period, during the time when the Hebrew people were in Canaan, before their descent into Egypt. This period is characterized by the lives and interactions of the sons of Jacob (Israel), and the narrative reflects the social customs and moral values of the time. The story of Judah and Tamar is significant as it not only explains the lineage of the tribe of Judah but also foreshadows the inclusion of non-Israelite elements in the messianic line, as Tamar is not an Israelite. This inclusion is a recurring theme in the biblical narrative, emphasizing God's plan for universal salvation.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H7971
There are 790 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁלַח
Transliteration: shâlach
Pronunciation: shaw-lakh'
Description: a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications); [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out). - Strong's Number: H5795
There are 74 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֵז
Transliteration: ʻêz
Pronunciation: aze
Description: from עָזַז; a she-goat (as strong), but masculine in plural (which also is used elliptically for goat's hair); (she) goat, kid. - Strong's Number: H1423
There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גְּדִי
Transliteration: gᵉdîy
Pronunciation: ghed-ee'
Description: from the same as גָּדָה; a young goat (from browsing); kid. - Strong's Number: H6629
There are 247 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צֹאן
Transliteration: tsôʼn
Pronunciation: tsone
Description: or צאוֹן; (Psalm 144:13), from an unused root meaning to migrate; a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men); (small) cattle, flock ([phrase] -s), lamb ([phrase] -s), sheep(-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds). - Strong's Number: H5414
There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָתַן
Transliteration: nâthan
Pronunciation: naw-than'
Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. - Strong's Number: H6162
There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֲרָבוֹן
Transliteration: ʻărâbôwn
Pronunciation: ar-aw-bone'
Description: from עָרַב (in the sense of exchange); a pawn (given as security); pledge.