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Genesis 38:26

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

Judah recognized the items and said, 'She is more in the right than I am, because I didn't give her to my son Shelah as I promised.' And he never slept with her again.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

Judah admits that Tamar was justified in her actions because he had broken his promise to let her marry his son Shelah.

📚 Historical Context

In the biblical narrative of Genesis, Judah, one of Jacob's sons, fails to provide his son Shelah to Tamar as a husband after her previous husbands (Judah's sons) died, which was a cultural expectation in ancient Israelite society to continue the family line and ensure inheritance. Tamar takes matters into her own hands by disguising herself as a prostitute and conceiving children with Judah to secure her place in the lineage. When the truth is revealed through the items Judah left as a pledge, he publicly acknowledges his wrongdoing and affirms Tamar's righteousness.

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