whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her. And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er. 3 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his 4 name Onan. And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and 5 called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him. And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name 6 was Tamar. And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight 7 of the Lord; and the Lord slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, 8 Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to son to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her. Ju. xvi. 1. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? or what communion hath light with darkness? 2 Co. vi. 14. Shuah.] The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zarah. Ge. xlvi. 12. The sons of Judah, Er, and Onan, and Shelah, which three were born unto him of the daughter of Shuah, the Canaanitess. 1 Ch. ii. 3. Took her.] When the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. Ge. vi. 4. Thou shalt not take a wife unto "my son" ("Isaac") of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell (said Abraham to his eldest servant). Ge. xxiv. 3. 3 Er.] See com. on" Shuah," verse 2. The sons of Judah were Er, and Onan; and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. Nu. xxvi. 19. 4 Onan.] See com. on "Shuah" and "Er," verse 2, 3. 5 Shelah.] Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law (the wife of Er), Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown, &c. Ge. xxxviii. 11. Judah acknowledged "them" ("the signet, and bracelets, and staff” which Tamar had received from Judah), and said, She hath been more righteous than I, because I gave her not to Shelah my Ge. xxxviii. 26. The sons of Judah after their families were; of Shelah, the Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites. Nu. xxvi. son. 20. The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were, Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah. 1 Ch. iv. 21. 6 Took a wife.] See chap. xxi. 21. and com. Tamar.] And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar. Mat. i. 3. 7 Er.] See com. on Shuah and Er, verses 2, 3. Wicked in the sight of the Lord.] Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Ge. vi. 8. The men of Sodom were wicked, and sinners before the Lord exceedingly. Ge. xiii. 13. We will destroy "this place" ("Sodom"), because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord. Ge. xix. 13. "He" ("Manasseh") wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger. 2 Ch. xxxiii. 6. And the Lord slew him.] Er the first-born of Judah was evil in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him. 1 Ch. ii. 3. But thou, O God, shalt bring “them” (“ the wicked") into the pit of destruction; bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. Ps. lv. 23. 8 Go in unto thy brother's wife, &c.] Every daughter that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy the inheritance of his fathers: neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe, but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance. Nu. xxxvi. 8, 9. If brethren shall dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger; her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her; and it shall be, that the first-born which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead: that his name be not put out of Israel; and his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed (if he refuse to raise up to his brother a name in Israel), for then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house. De. xxv. 5-10. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters (Orpah and Ruth): why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Ru. i. 11. Then said Boaz, What day "thou" ("the nearest kinsman of Ruth") buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance; and the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance; therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee: so he drew off his shoe (now this was 9 thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his 10 brother. And the thing which he did displeased the Lord: 11 wherefore he slew him also. Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's 12 house. And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's the manner in former times in Israel concerning redeeming, and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour; and this was a testimony in Israel); and Boaz said unto the elders, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi; moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance; and the elders said, We are witnesses and the Lord make the woman that is come into thine house, like Rachel and like Leah which two did build the house of Israel. Ru. iv. 5-11. Master (said the Sadducees to Jesus), Moses said, If a man die having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother; now there were seven brethren, and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and having no issue, left his wife unto his brother; likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh; and last of all the woman died also, &c. &c. Mat. xxii. 23-27. 9 The seed should not be his.] And it shall be, that the first-born which she (after marrying her husband's brother) beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel. De. xxv. 6. Are there yet any more sons in my womb (said Naomi to her daughters-inlaw), that they may be your husbands? Ru. i. 11. Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased (said Boaz), to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. Ru. iv. 10. Lest that he should give seed to his brother.] Wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one. Job v. 2. Who is able to stand before envy? Pr. xxvii. 4. We ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. Tit. iii. 3. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth: this wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. Ja. iii. 14, 15. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? iv. 5. Ja. 2 Sa. 10 Displeased the Lord.] And when the people complained (of the manna), it displeased the Lord; and the Lord heard it, and his anger was kindled. Nu. xi. 1. And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me (when he smote the ass thrice). Now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again. Nu. xxii. 34. And when the mourning (for Uriah) was past, David sent and fetched "her" (" Bathsheba," Uriak's wife) to his house; and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord. xi. 27. And God was displeased with this thing (David's forcing Joab to number Israel); therefore he smote Israel. 1 Chr. xxi. 7. The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, but the righteous hath hope in his death. Pr. xiv. 32. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, lest the Lord see it, and it displease him. Pr. xxiv. 17, 18. Howbeit I sent unto "you" ("the Jews") all my servants, the prophets, rising early, and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate. Jer. xliv. 4. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity; wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? Hab. i. 13. Slew him also.] Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. Ge. xlvi. 12. See Nu. xxvi. 19. Turn 11 Till Shelah my son be grown.] And Naomi said, Turn again, "my daughters" ("Orpah and Ruth"): why will ye go with me? are there any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? again, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say. I have hope; if I should have an husband also to-night, and should also bear sons, would ye tarry for them till they were grown? Would ye stay for them from having husbands? RE. i. 11, 12, 13. In her father's house.] If the priest's daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father's house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father's meat. Le. xxii. 13. wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up 13 to Timnath to shear his sheep. And she put her widow's garments 14 off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; 15 because she had covered her face. And he turned unto her by 16 the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, 17 12 Was comforted.] And Isaac brought her into his mother's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. Ge. xxiv. 67. And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead. 2 Sa. xiii. 39. Sheep-shearers.] Laban went out to shear his sheep. Ge. xxxi. 19. And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep; and David sent out ten young men, and said, Go to Nabal, and greet him in my name; and thus shall ye say, Let the young men find favour in thine eyes: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David: and Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? There be many servants now-a-day that break away every man from his master; shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh, that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be? And Abigail came to Nabal (having pacified David); and behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king: and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she (his wife) told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. 1 Sa. xxv. 4. 8. 36. It came to pass, that Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor; and Absalom came to the king, and said (having invited the king's sons), Let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants, go with thy servant: and the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all go now, lest we be chargeable unto thee; and he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him, Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us; and the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee? But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon: then kill him, fear not; and the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. 2 Sa. xiii. 23-29. And Timnath.] See verse 1. And the border (of Judah) compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, &c. and passed on to Timnah. (Of the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah were), Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah; Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah, with their villages. Jos. xv. 10. 35. 57. the seventh lot came out from the tribe of the children of Dan; (and of the coast of their inheritance among others were) Elon, and Thimnathah, and Ekron. Jos. xix. 43. And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. Ju. xiv. 1. 14 And sat in an open place.] Now is "she" ("the harlot") without; now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner. Pr. vii. 12. Lift up thine eyes (Judah) unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness: and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness. Je. iii. 2. Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms. Ez. xvi. 25. Timnath.] See verses 12, 13. That Shelah was grown.] See verses 11. 26. 16 Go to, I pray thee, &c.] And when she (Tamar) had brought "them" ("the cakes which she had made for Amnon") unto him to eat, he took hold of her. 2 Sa. xiii. 11. What wilt thou give me.] What will ye give me (said Judas). and I will deliver him (Jesus) unto you? Mat. xxvi. 15. The love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Ti. vi. 10. 16. 17 I will send thee a kid.] See com. verse 18 Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, 19 and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the 20 garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from 21 the woman's hand: but he found her not. Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place. 22 And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place. 23 And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, 24 I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her. 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 Wilt thou give me a pledge.] 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; 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; 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. Ge. xxxviii. 20. 24. 25. Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman. Pr. xx. 16. The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. Lu. xvi. 8. 18 Thy signet.] See verses 25, 26. As I live, saith the Lord, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence. Je. xxii. 24. The father (of the prodigal in the parable) said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe and put it on him: and put a ring on his hand, &c. Lu. xv. 22. And he gave it her.] See verses 25, 26. Whoredom and wine, and new wine, take away the heart. Ho. iv. 11. 19 Laid by her vail.] See verse 14. And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead; and come to the king (David): and when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king; and the king said unto her, What aileth thee? and she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead, &c. (she by a parable was instructed to incline David's heart to fetch home Absalom). 2 Sa. xiv. 2—5. 20 His friend the Adullamite.] Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me, and on my kingdom, a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done. Ge. xx. 9. Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Le. xix. 17. But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend. Ju. xiv. 20. Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother and Jonadab was a very subtile man (who urged him to humble his sister Tamar). 2 Sa. xiii. 3. And the same day (that Herod and his men of war mocked Jesus, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe) Pilate and Herod were made friends together, for before they were at enmity between themselves. Lu. xxiii. 12. 23 Lest we be shamed.] Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, &c. 2 Sa. xii. 9. Whoso committeth adultery, a wound and dishonour shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away. Pr. vi. 33. What fruit had ye then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. Ro. vi. 21. But (we) have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty; not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully. 2 Co. iv. 2. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. Ep. v. 12. Behold, I conce as a thief; blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. Re. xvi. 15. 24 Played the harlot.] And they (Simeon and Levi), said, Should "he" (" Shechen") deal with our sister (Dinah) as with an har is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. When she was brought forth, she sent to 25 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 lot? Ge. xxxiv. 31. And his concubine (of the Levite of Mount Ephraim) went away from him unto her father's house, &c. Ju. xix. 2. And I find more bitter than death, the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands; whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. Ec. vii. 26. For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands, and thou (Jerusalem), saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill, and under every green tree, thou wanderest, playing the harlot. Je. ii. 20. Therefore (on account of your wickedness) the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain, and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? She is gone up upon every high mountain, and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. Je. iii. 3. 6. And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. Je. iii. 8. But thou (Jerusalem) didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornication on every one that passed by. Ez. xvi. 15. Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied. And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee, in the sight of many women; and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot; and thou also shalt give no hire any more. Ez. xvi. 28. 41. And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours. She multiplied her whoredoms in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt. They went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot: so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the lewd women. Ez. xxiii. 5. 19. 44. Their mother hath played the harlot; she that conceived them hath done shamefully. For she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread, and my water, my wool, and my flax, mine oil, and my drink. Ho. ii. 5. Thou shalt not play the harlot; and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee. Ho. iii. 3. Though thou Israel play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend. Ho. iv. 15. Let her be burnt.] See Ge. xx. 3. 7. 9, and com. The man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. Le. xx. 10. The daughter of any priest, if she profane herself she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire. Le. xxi. 9. They shall bring out the damsel, &c. to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die; because she hath wrought folly in Israel; so shalt thou put evil away from among you. De. xxii. 21. If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die. De. xxii. 22-27. The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers; every man shall be put to death for his own sin. De. xxiv. 16. David's anger was greatly kindled against the man (whom Nathan described as taking his neighbour's ewe lamb): and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, &c. &c. 2 Sa. xii. 5. 7. And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah, which are in Babylon, saying, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah, and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire; because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives. Je. xxix. 22, 23. Judge not that ye be not judged. Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Mat. vii. 1. 5. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art, that judgest, for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things; but we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. Ro. ii. 1, 2. Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God! Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. Ro. xiv. 22. 25 Discern, I pray thee.] See verse 18. This have we found (said the sons of Jacob), know now whether it be thy son's coat or no? Ge. xxxvii. 32. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence, thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself, but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Ps. 1. 21. As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed. Je. ii. 26. Their conscience also |