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And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.

And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a veil, 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.

When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.

And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?

And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?

And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.

New Defender's Study Bible Notes

Genesis 38:18

38:18 What pledge. The Hebrew word for “pledge” is essentially the same as that for “surety” in Genesis 44:32, where Judah was offering himself to Joseph as a substitute to receive Benjamin’s punishment, instead of Benjamin. Similarly, Judah’s pledge was given to Tamar in substitution for the payment due to Tamar. Both, in effect, can be considered as types of Christ offering His own shed blood in substitution for the death our sins have deserved.

Genesis 38:18

38:18 signet. A signet is a seal used as a signature to confirm a contract.

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