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Genesis 38:24

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

About three months later, someone told Judah, 'Your daughter-in-law Tamar has been sleeping around like a prostitute, and now she's pregnant from her immoral behavior.' Judah immediately said, 'Bring her out here and burn her to death.'

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

Judah harshly condemned Tamar for what appeared to be sexual immorality, demanding the death penalty without knowing the full truth of the situation.

📚 Historical Context

In the book of Genesis, this verse is part of the story of Judah, one of Jacob's sons, and his daughter-in-law Tamar, who had been widowed after marrying Judah's eldest son. Ancient Near Eastern customs, such as levirate marriage, required a brother to marry his deceased sibling's widow to preserve the family line, but Judah failed to honor this, leading to Tamar's desperate actions. Judah's harsh judgment reflects the strict moral and legal standards of that patriarchal society, where adultery was seen as a capital offense punishable by death.

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