Genesis 38:19
New International Version
After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow’s clothes again.

New Living Translation
Afterward she went back home, took off her veil, and put on her widow’s clothing as usual.

English Standard Version
Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Tamar got up and departed. And she removed her veil and put on her widow’s garments again.

King James Bible
And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

New King James Version
So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.

New American Standard Bible
Then she got up and departed, and removed her veil and put on her widow’s garments.

NASB 1995
Then she arose and departed, and removed her veil and put on her widow’s garments.

NASB 1977
Then she arose and departed, and removed her veil and put on her widow’s garments.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then she arose and went. And she removed her veil from herself and put on her widow’s garments.

Amplified Bible
Then she got up and left, and removed her veil and put on her widow’s clothing.

Christian Standard Bible
She got up and left, then removed her veil and put her widow’s clothes back on.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
She got up and left, then removed her veil and put her widow’s clothes back on.

American Standard Version
And she arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

Contemporary English Version
After returning home, Tamar took off the veil and dressed in her widow's clothes again.

English Revised Version
And she arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
After she got up and left, she took off her veil and put her widow's clothes back on.

Good News Translation
Tamar went home, took off her veil, and put her widow's clothes back on.

International Standard Version
Then she got up and left. Later, she took off her shawl and put on her mourning clothes.

Majority Standard Bible
Then Tamar got up and departed. And she removed her veil and put on her widow?s garments again.

NET Bible
She left immediately, removed her veil, and put on her widow's clothes.

New Heart English Bible
And she got up and left, and took off her veil, and put on her widow?s clothing.

Webster's Bible Translation
And she arose and went her way and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

World English Bible
She arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and she rises, and goes, and turns aside her veil from off her, and puts on the garments of her widowhood.

Young's Literal Translation
and she riseth, and goeth, and turneth aside her vail from off her, and putteth on the garments of her widowhood.

Smith's Literal Translation
And she will arise and go, and will put away her veil from her, and will put on the garments of her widowhood.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And she arose and went her way: and putting off the apparel which she had taken, put on the garments of her widowhood.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And she arose and went away. And storing away the garments that she had taken up, she was clothed in the garments of her widowhood.

New American Bible
After she got up and went away, she took off her shawl and put on her widow’s garments again.

New Revised Standard Version
Then she got up and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And she arose and went away and took off her veil from her and put on the garments of her widowhood.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And she arose and she went and she put away the veil from her and she put on the clothes of her widowhood.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And she arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And she arose and departed, and took her veil from off her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judah and Tamar
18“What pledge should I give you?” he asked. She answered, “Your seal and your cord, and the staff in your hand.” So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. 19Then Tamar got up and departed. And she removed her veil and put on her widow’s garments again. 20Now when Judah sent his friend Hirah the Adullamite with the young goat to collect the items he had left with the woman, he could not find her.…

Cross References
Genesis 37:31-33
Then they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the robe in its blood. / They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe or not.” / His father recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!”

Genesis 39:12-16
She grabbed Joseph by his cloak and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his cloak in her hand, he escaped and ran outside. / When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, / she called her household servants. “Look,” she said, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, but I screamed as loud as I could. ...

Deuteronomy 22:13-21
Suppose a man marries a woman, has relations with her, and comes to hate her, / and he then accuses her of shameful conduct and gives her a bad name, saying, “I married this woman and had relations with her, but I discovered she was not a virgin.” / Then the young woman’s father and mother shall bring the proof of her virginity to the city elders at the gate ...

Leviticus 19:29
You must not defile your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will be prostituted and filled with depravity.

Proverbs 7:10-12
Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart. / She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home. / Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.

Proverbs 31:10-31
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies. / The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value. / She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life. ...

Isaiah 3:16-24
The LORD also says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty—walking with heads held high and wanton eyes, prancing and skipping as they go, jingling the bracelets on their ankles— / the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will make their foreheads bare.” / In that day the Lord will take away their finery: their anklets and headbands and crescents; ...

Jeremiah 3:1-3
“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her? Would not such a land be completely defiled? But you have played the harlot with many lovers—and you would return to Me?” declares the LORD. / “Lift up your eyes to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been violated? You sat beside the highways waiting for your lovers, like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness. / Therefore the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen. Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to be ashamed.

Ezekiel 16:32-34
You adulterous wife! You receive strangers instead of your own husband! / Men give gifts to all their prostitutes, but you gave gifts to all your lovers. You bribed them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors. / So your prostitution is the opposite of that of other women: No one solicited your favors, and you paid a fee instead of receiving one; so you are the very opposite!

Hosea 2:5-7
For their mother has played the harlot and has conceived them in disgrace. For she thought, ‘I will go after my lovers, who give me bread and water, wool and linen, oil and drink.’ / Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her path with thorns; I will enclose her with a wall, so she cannot find her way. / She will pursue her lovers but not catch them; she will seek them but not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will return to my first husband, for then I was better off than now.’

Matthew 1:3
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.

Matthew 5:32
But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her. And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Matthew 21:31-32
Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. / For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Mark 7:21-23
For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, / greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. / All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.”

Luke 15:30
But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’


Treasury of Scripture

And she arose, and went away, and laid by her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

laid by her vail.

Genesis 38:14
And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, 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.

2 Samuel 14:2,5
And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead: …

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Clothes Clothing Departed Garments Laid Putteth Removed Riseth Turneth Vail Veil Way Widowhood Widow's
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Clothes Clothing Departed Garments Laid Putteth Removed Riseth Turneth Vail Veil Way Widowhood Widow's
Genesis 38
1. Judah begets Er, Onan, and Shelah.
6. Er's marriage with Tamar, and death.
8. The trespass of Onan.
11. Tamar is reserved for Shelah.
12. Judah's wife dies.
13. Tamar deceives Judah.
27. She bears twins, Pharez and Zarah.














Then Tamar got up and departed.
Tamar's actions follow her encounter with Judah, where she successfully secures her rights within the family lineage. Her departure signifies the completion of her plan to ensure her place in the family line, which was threatened by Judah's failure to provide her with his son Shelah as a husband. This moment is pivotal in the narrative, as it sets the stage for the birth of Perez and Zerah, who are significant in the genealogy of King David and ultimately Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3). The act of departing also reflects her agency and determination in a patriarchal society where women often had limited power.

And she removed her veil
The veil in this context is significant as it was used by Tamar to disguise herself as a prostitute to seduce Judah. In ancient Near Eastern culture, veils were often associated with women of ill repute or those in mourning. By removing the veil, Tamar is shedding the temporary identity she assumed to achieve her goal. This act symbolizes a return to her true self and status, as well as the conclusion of her ruse. The veil also serves as a narrative device highlighting themes of deception and revelation, which are prevalent throughout the story.

and put on her widow’s garments again.
Widow's garments were a sign of mourning and indicated Tamar's status as a widow of Judah's sons, Er and Onan. By putting these garments back on, Tamar resumes her rightful place in society, emphasizing her legitimate claim to Judah's family line. This act underscores the cultural and legal expectations of levirate marriage, where a widow was to be given to the next of kin to produce offspring for the deceased husband. Tamar's return to her widow's attire also foreshadows the eventual recognition and vindication of her actions when Judah acknowledges her righteousness later in the chapter. This moment connects to the broader biblical theme of God's providence and justice, as seen in other stories where the marginalized are vindicated, such as Ruth and Esther.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Tamar
The widow of Er, Judah's firstborn, who disguises herself to secure her rights and future.

2. Judah
One of the twelve sons of Jacob, who unknowingly becomes involved with Tamar.

3. The Veil
A symbol of Tamar's disguise, representing her temporary role as a prostitute.

4. Widow’s Garments
The clothing Tamar resumes wearing, signifying her return to her status as a widow.

5. The Event
Tamar's strategic plan to ensure her place in Judah's family line, which involves a temporary disguise.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Justice and Rights
Tamar's actions highlight the importance of securing one's rights and the lengths to which individuals may go to achieve justice.

God's Sovereignty in Imperfect Situations
Despite the morally complex situation, God's plan unfolds, showing His ability to work through human imperfection.

The Role of Women in God's Plan
Tamar's account emphasizes the active role women play in biblical accounts and God's redemptive history.

Repentance and Redemption
Judah's eventual acknowledgment of Tamar's righteousness (later in the chapter) serves as a reminder of the power of repentance and redemption.

Cultural Context and Biblical Law
Understanding the cultural and legal context of the time helps us appreciate the motivations and actions of biblical characters.Verse 19. - And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
After she got up
וַתָּ֣קָם (wat·tā·qām)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

and left,
וַתֵּ֔לֶךְ (wat·tê·leḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

she removed
וַתָּ֥סַר (wat·tā·sar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

her veil
צְעִיפָ֖הּ (ṣə·‘î·p̄āh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6809: A wrapper, shawl, or veil

and put on her widow’s
אַלְמְנוּתָֽהּ׃ (’al·mə·nū·ṯāh)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 491: A widow, widowhood

garments
בִּגְדֵ֥י (biḡ·ḏê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 899: A covering, clothing, treachery, pillage

again.
וַתִּלְבַּ֖שׁ (wat·til·baš)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3847: Wrap around, to put on a, garment, clothe


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OT Law: Genesis 38:19 She arose and went away and put (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 38:18
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