Genesis 38:2

Translations

Modern

There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua, and he took her as a wife and slept with her.

Traditional

And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.

Literal

And Judah saw there a daughter of a man, a Canaanite, and his name was Shua. And he took her and went in to her.

Latin

Viditque ibi filiam hominis Chananæi, vocabulo Sue: et accepta uxore, ingressus est ad eam.

Original

Hebrew

English

There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua, and he took her as a wife and slept with her.

Notes

Genesis 38:1–30

The story of Judah and Tamar is a carefully placed break in the larger story. It shows what was happening in Judah’s family. Judah would later become an important leader. The story also shows the early stages of the family mixing with the people of the land. This helps explain why God sent the family to Egypt (chapters 39–47).

The Egyptians kept themselves separate from other peoples (43:32). Because of that, the Israelites were more likely to keep their own identity in Egypt than in Canaan.

Theme notes and profiles

Egypt Judah Human Sexuality Symbolic Numbers

Related verses

1 Chronicles 2:3
The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah. These three were born to him by Bath-shua the Canaanite. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death.
Genesis 24:3
…and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,
Genesis 6:2
…the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.
2 Corinthians 6:14
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
Judges 14:2
So he returned and told his father and mother, “I have seen a daughter of the Philistines in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.”
Genesis 34:2
When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the region, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force.
Genesis 6:4
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and afterward as well—when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown.
Genesis 46:12
The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.
Judges 16:1
One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute and went in to spend the night with her.
2 Samuel 11:2
One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman.
Genesis 3:6
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.

Parallels

1 Chronicles 2:3–4

People

Bath-shua: Judah's Canaanite wife; mother of Er, Onan, and Shelah Judah: Israelite tribe, kingdom, and province Shua: Father of Canaanite wife of Judah, mother of Er, Onan, and Shelah

Places

Canaan: Ancient region; descendants of Ham; promised to Abraham's descendants

Glossary

Adullam, Adullamite Bathshua Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Genesis, Book of Jacob Patriarchs, Period of the Shua Shuah

Topics

Adultery: Judah Canaanites: Judah Marries a Woman of Judah: Son of Jacob: Takes Two Wives Shua: A Canaanite and the Father-In-Law of Judah

Genesis 38:2

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