Genesis 38:22 - He returned to Judah, and said, “I haven’t found her; and also the men of the place said, ‘There has been no prostitute here.’”
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What does "Genesis 38:22" mean?
This verse is part of the story of Judah and Tamar in Genesis 38. To understand it, we need a bit of context:
Judah: One of the sons of Jacob (Israel).
Tamar: His daughter-in-law, whose husband (Judah's son Er) died.
The Setup: According to custom, Judah was supposed to give Tamar his next son, Onan, to father children with her and continue the line of Er. Onan refused to do this properly (practiced coitus interruptus), and God killed him. Judah then delayed giving Tamar his youngest son, Shelah, fearing he would also die.
After a long time, Tamar realized Judah wasn't going to keep his promise. She hatched a plan. She disguised herself as a prostitute and sat by the roadside where she knew Judah would pass. He didn't recognize her.
The Deception: Judah, assuming she was a prostitute, had relations with her, promising to send her a goat as payment. She asked for a pledge until the goat arrived – his signet ring, staff, and cord.
The Failed Payment: Judah sent his friend to deliver the goat and retrieve his pledge, but the friend couldn't find the prostitute.
Genesis 38:22 explains what happened next:
> "He returned to Judah, and said, “I haven’t found her; and also the men of the place said, ‘There has been no prostitute here.’”"
The Meaning:
"He returned to Judah..." Judah's friend came back, having failed his mission.
"I haven't found her..." The friend couldn't locate the woman Judah had been with. This suggests she was discreet and not a known or obvious prostitute.
"...and also the men of the place said, 'There has been no prostitute here.'" This is the key. It indicates that the friend asked around, trying to find a prostitute in that area. The local men specifically denied that there was a prostitute in their town. This could be because:
There wasn't a regular prostitute: Tamar wasn't a professional; she was just pretending.
The men were protecting their community's reputation: They didn't want to admit there was a prostitute in their town, as it would reflect poorly on them.
They simply didn't know: Tamar was disguised and acting discreetly; she might not have been known to them.
In essence, this verse highlights the success of Tamar's disguise and the difficulty Judah's friend had in finding her. It also raises the question of whether the men of the area were being truthful or trying to hide something. The fact that no one knew of or admitted to there being a prostitute there made it impossible for Judah to reclaim his pledge. This sets the stage for the next part of the story where Tamar reveals that Judah is the father of her child, using the pledge as evidence.
The verse is a small but crucial piece in a narrative about deception, justice, and the unexpected ways in which divine purposes can be fulfilled.
Genesis 38:22 - He returned to Judah, and said, “I haven’t found her; and also the men of the place said, ‘There has been no prostitute here.’”
What does "Genesis 38:22" mean?
This verse is part of the story of Judah and Tamar in Genesis 38. To understand it, we need a bit of context:
Judah: One of the sons of Jacob (Israel).
Tamar: His daughter-in-law, whose husband (Judah's son Er) died.
The Setup: According to custom, Judah was supposed to give Tamar his next son, Onan, to father children with her and continue the line of Er. Onan refused to do this properly (practiced coitus interruptus), and God killed him. Judah then delayed giving Tamar his youngest son, Shelah, fearing he would also die.
After a long time, Tamar realized Judah wasn't going to keep his promise. She hatched a plan. She disguised herself as a prostitute and sat by the roadside where she knew Judah would pass. He didn't recognize her.
The Deception: Judah, assuming she was a prostitute, had relations with her, promising to send her a goat as payment. She asked for a pledge until the goat arrived – his signet ring, staff, and cord.
The Failed Payment: Judah sent his friend to deliver the goat and retrieve his pledge, but the friend couldn't find the prostitute.
Genesis 38:22 explains what happened next:
> "He returned to Judah, and said, “I haven’t found her; and also the men of the place said, ‘There has been no prostitute here.’”"
The Meaning:
"He returned to Judah..." Judah's friend came back, having failed his mission.
"I haven't found her..." The friend couldn't locate the woman Judah had been with. This suggests she was discreet and not a known or obvious prostitute.
"...and also the men of the place said, 'There has been no prostitute here.'" This is the key. It indicates that the friend asked around, trying to find a prostitute in that area. The local men specifically denied that there was a prostitute in their town. This could be because:
There wasn't a regular prostitute: Tamar wasn't a professional; she was just pretending.
The men were protecting their community's reputation: They didn't want to admit there was a prostitute in their town, as it would reflect poorly on them.
They simply didn't know: Tamar was disguised and acting discreetly; she might not have been known to them.
In essence, this verse highlights the success of Tamar's disguise and the difficulty Judah's friend had in finding her. It also raises the question of whether the men of the area were being truthful or trying to hide something. The fact that no one knew of or admitted to there being a prostitute there made it impossible for Judah to reclaim his pledge. This sets the stage for the next part of the story where Tamar reveals that Judah is the father of her child, using the pledge as evidence.
The verse is a small but crucial piece in a narrative about deception, justice, and the unexpected ways in which divine purposes can be fulfilled.