King James Version

Genesis 38:11

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 house.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…יְהוּדָה֩yehudahJudahיְהוּדָהnoun, proper name — “Judah”H3063Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territoryJudah.לְתָמָ֨רletamarto Tamarתָּמָרpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Tamar”H8559Tamar, the name of three women and a placeTamar.כַּלָּת֜וֹkalatvobrideכַּלָּהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “bride”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3618a bride (as if perfect); hence, a son's wifebride, daughter-in-law, spouse.שְׁבִ֧יshevidwellיָשַׁבverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “dwell”, a commandH3427properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, r…אַלְמָנָ֣הalmanahdesolate houseאַלְמָנָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “desolate house”, the ordinary formH490a widow; also a desolate placedesolate house (palace), widow.בֵיתveytfamilyבַּיִתnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “family”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web,…אָבִ֗יךְavikhefatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “father”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.עַדadevenעַדpreposition — “even”H5704as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, [phrase] how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, ([phrase] as) yet.יִגְדַּל֙yigdalbeגָּדַלverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, an unfinished actionH1431to be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor, also in pride)advance, boast, bring up, exceed, excellent, be(-come, do, give, make, wax), great(-er, come to... estate, [phrase] things), grow(up), increase, lift up, magnify(-ifical), be much set by, nourish (up), pass, promote, proudly (spoken), towe…שֵׁלָ֣הshelahShelahשֵׁלָהnoun, proper name — “Shelah”H7956Shelah, the name of a postdiluvian patriarch and of an IsraeliteShelah.בְנִ֔יvenisonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…אָמַ֔רamarsayאָמַרverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “say”, a completed actionH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…פֶּןpenthat...notפֵּןconjunction — “that...not”H6435properly, removal; used only (in the construction) adverb as conjunction, lest(lest) (peradventure), that...not.יָמ֥וּתyamutdieמוּתverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “die”, an unfinished actionH4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill[idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) w…גַּםgamalsoגַּםparticle, affirmation — “also”H1571properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...andagain, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.ה֖וּאhuas for herהוּאpronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “as for her”H1931he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or arehe, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.כְּאֶחָ֑יוkeechayvas brother ; kindredאָחpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “as brother ; kindred”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH251a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father))another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with 'Ah-' or 'Ahi-'.וַתֵּ֣לֶךְvatelekhand carryיָלַךְconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and carry”, the next action in the storyH3212to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)[idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue,…תָּמָ֔רtamarTamarתָּמָרnoun, proper name — “Tamar”H8559Tamar, the name of three women and a placeTamar.וַתֵּ֖שֶׁבvateshevand dwellיָשַׁבconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and dwell”, the next action in the storyH3427properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, r…בֵּ֥יתbeytfamilyבַּיִתnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “family”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web,…אָבִֽיהָavihafatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “father”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law: 'Remain a widow in thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown up'; for he said: 'Lest he also die, like his brethren.' And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow in thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown up; for he said, Lest he also die, like his brethren. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Judah saith to Tamar his daughter-in-law, 'Abide a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son groweth up;' for he said, 'Lest he die — even he — like his brethren;' and Tamar goeth and dwelleth at her father's house.

World English Bible

Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, until Shelah, my son, is grown up;” for he said, “Lest he also die, like his brothers.” Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

Darby Translation

And Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow in thy father's house, until Shelah my son is grown; for he said, Lest he die also, as his brethren. And Tamar went and remained in her father's house.

Douay-Rheims

Wherefore Juda said to Thamar his daughter in law: Remain a widow in thy father’s house, till Sela my son grow up: for he was afraid lest he also might die, as his brethren did. She went her way and dwelt in her father’s house.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Judas said to Thamar, his daughter-in-law, Sit thou a widow in the house of thy father-in-law, until Selom my son be grown; for he said, Lest he also die as his brethren; and Thamar departed, and sat in the house of her father.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Εἶπε δὲ Ἰούδας Θάμαρ τῇ νύμφῃ αὐτοῦ, κάθου χήρα ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρός σου, ἕως μέγας γένηται Σηλὼμ ὁ υἱός μου· εἶπε γάρ, μή ποτε ἀποθάνῃ καὶ οὗτος, ὥσπερ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ. Ἀπελθοῦσα δὲ Θάμαρ ἐκάθητο ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς.