22
He returnedוַיָּשָׁבto Judahאֶל יְהוּדָהand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“I did notלֹאfind her;מְצָאתִיהָand alsoוְגַםthe menאַנְשֵׁיof the placeהַמָּקוֹםsaid,אָמְרוּ‘There has been noלֹא הָיְתָהsacred prostituteקְדֵשָׁהhere.’”בָזֶה
Genesis 38:22
Study it in the app“He returned to Judah and said, “I did not find her; and also the men of the place said, ‘There has been no sacred prostitute here.’””
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 38:22, word by word
- He returnedיָּשָׁבyashav
return
To go back to a place.
Where else “yashav” appears- to Judahיְהוּדָהyehuda
Judah
Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah; also the tribe that came from him and its land, and later the southern kingdom; King David came from it. The name sounds like "give thanks". Borne also by other Israelites.
Where else “yehuda” appears- and saidיֹּאמֶרyomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomer” appears- find herמְצָאתִיmetsati
find
To come upon what one seeks, or something not expected.
Where else “metsati” appears- the menאַנְשֵׁיanshe
man
An adult male person; also each man of a people, a trade or a place.
Where else “anshe” appears- of the placeמָּקוֹםmakom
place
A place, a spot.
Where else “makom” appears- ‘There has been noהָיְתָהhayta
be
To be: "I will be their Elohim".
Where else “hayta” appears- sacred prostituteקְדֵשָׁהkedesha
consecrated woman
"Consecrated woman": a woman tied to a pagan shrine who prostituted herself as part of that worship. The law of Israel forbids it (Deuteronomy 23:17).
Where else “kedesha” appears
The context
21He asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the sacred prostitute who was at Enaim by the road?” They said, “There has been no sacred prostitute here.”
22 · This verse (above)
23Judah said, “Let her take the things for herself, lest we become a laughingstock. Look, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.”
To study Genesis 38 in a group
1. What it says
What did Tamar do, and what did Judah say when he learned of it (vv. 14-26)?
2. What it means
What does it mean that Judah admits, “She is more righteous than I” (v. 26)?
3. How I live it
How can you honestly admit your own mistake when it is shown to you?