Bible Strands
Genesis 38:14
she removed her widow’s garments, covered her face with a veil to disguise herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that although Shelah had grown up, she had not been given to him as a wife.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Tamar acts after learning Judah is traveling to Timnah for sheep shearing, positioning herself at the entrance to Enaim on that route. Her actions follow Judah’s earlier command for her to remain a widow in her father’s house until Shelah matures.
The words — The text records בַּ/צָּעִיף (ba./tza.'If) = with the veil, and וַ/תָּסַר (va./ta.Sar) = she removed, describing her deliberate change of appearance. These terms mark her transition from widow to disguised traveler.
The thread — This concealment directly precedes Judah’s misidentification of her as a prostitute in Genesis 38:15. The outcome later forces Judah to acknowledge her righteousness in Genesis 38:26, while Genesis 38:11 establishes the widowhood status she discards.
Why it lands — The verse documents a calculated move to secure a promised marriage right outside cultural expectation. It requires the reader to observe how Tamar enforces a familial obligation through direct, unmediated action.
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 she put her widow’s garments 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.
Cross-references
- Genesis 38:26 Judah recognized the items and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again.
- Genesis 24:65 and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “It is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.
- Genesis 38:11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.
- Proverbs 7:12 Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.
- Jeremiah 3:2 “Lift up your eyes to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been violated? You sat beside the highways waiting for your lovers, like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness.
- Ezekiel 16:25 At the head of every street you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty. With increasing promiscuity, you spread your legs to all who passed by.