Genesis 38:20

Arabic 2016 (الكِتاب المُقَدَّس: التَّرْجَمَةُ العَرَبِيَّةُ المُبَسَّطَةُ)

وَفِيمَا بَعْدُ، أرْسَلَ يَهُوذَا صَدِيقَهُ حِيرَةَ مَعَ الجَدْيِ لِيَسْتَرِدَّ الرَّهْنَ مِنَ المَرْأةِ. لَكِنَّ حِيرَةَ لَمْ يَجِدْهَا.

What Does This Mean?

In this verse, Judah sends his friend to give a kid (young goat) to Tamar as payment for the pledge he had given her. However, his friend could not find her. This shows a failed attempt to fulfill a previous promise.

Explained for Children

Imagine you promised a toy to a friend, but when you went to give it to them, they weren't there. That's kind of what happened here. Judah sent a friend to give Tamar a goat as a trade, but couldn't find her to make the exchange.

Historical Background

This verse is part of the Book of Genesis, written by Moses around 1446-1406 BCE. The audience is the Israelites, and the cultural setting is the ancient Near East, where cattle and goats were often used as currency or trade items.

Living It Out Today

Consider a situation where you try to return something to a friend but can't find them. Like Judah, you might feel frustrated or unsure of what to do next. This verse can remind us to persevere and try again later.

Topics

• faithfulness
• trust
• obligation
• deception
• payment
• promise

Related Verses

• Genesis 38:23
• Deuteronomy 23:24
• Proverbs 17:18
• Matthew 22:11-14
• Romans 13:7

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Judah send his friend?

Judah sent his friend to give Tamar a kid (young goat) as payment for the pledge she had given him earlier, showing his attempt to fulfill a previous promise.

Why couldn't Judah's friend find Tamar?

The exact reason is not specified in the text, but it could be that Tamar had moved or was not in her usual location when Judah's friend came to deliver the kid.

What was the pledge Tamar had given to Judah?

The pledge mentioned here is likely the items Tamar had received from Judah as a guarantee for the payment, as described in Genesis 38:18.

What does this event tell us about Judah?

This event reveals Judah's attempt to fulfill his obligations, even though his initial actions with Tamar were based on deception, showing a mix of character traits.