Bible Strands
Genesis 38:1
About that time, Judah left his brothers and settled near a man named Hirah, an Adullamite.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records Judah's departure from his brothers at a transitional moment in the patriarchal timeline, marking a shift from the Joseph narrative to the account of Judah's own household. This occurs as Judah physically separates from his kin to establish residence among the Canaanites.
The words — The verb וַיֵּט (va/yi.Yet) literally means "he turned aside," describing Judah's deliberate deviation from his family to settle near Hirah the Adullamite. This action is bounded by וַיְהִי בָּעֵת הַהִוא (va/yi.Hi ba/'et ha.hi), "and it was at that time," which anchors the event to a specific narrative juncture.
The thread — The pattern of turning aside to a designated location appears in 1 Samuel 22:1 where David flees to the cave of Adullam, and in Genesis 19:2 where travelers are invited to turn aside into a house. These references establish a recurring biblical motif of strategic relocation for safety or hospitality.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to note Judah's voluntary separation from his family and his immediate integration into Canaanite society without providing moral evaluation. The narrative leaves the practical and spiritual consequences of this choice to be revealed in the following verses.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 22:1 So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there.
- 2 Kings 4:8 One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat.
- Genesis 19:2 and said, “My lords, please turn aside into the house of your servant; wash your feet and spend the night. Then you can rise early and go on your way.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.”
- Joshua 15:35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,
- Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.
- Micah 1:15 I will again bring a conqueror against you, O dweller of Mareshah. The glory of Israel will come to Adullam.
- Joshua 12:15 the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
- Judges 4:18 Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Do not be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.
- 2 Samuel 23:13 At harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
- Proverbs 9:6 Leave your folly behind, and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.”