Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 38:25

When she [was] brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man, whose these [are, am] I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose [are] these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.

Verse 25. The signet] chothemeth, properly a seal, or instrument with which impressions were made to ascertain property, c. These exist in all countries.

Bracelets] pethilim, from pathal, to twist, wreathe, twine, may signify a girdle or a collar by which precedency, &c., might be indicated not the muslin, silk, or linen wreath of his turban, as Mr. Harmer has conjectured.

Staff.] matteh, either what we would call a common walking stick, or the staff which was the ensign of his tribe.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

When she [was] brought forth,…. From her father’s house, not to the place of execution, or in order to be burnt, but to the court of judicature, in order to take tier trial:

she sent to her father in law, saying, by the man whose these [are,

am] I with child; she sent a messenger to him, and by him the signet, bracelets, and staff, be they what they may, she had received from him as a pledge for the kid he promised her; and ordered the messenger to say, at the same time he showed him these things, that she was with child by the person to whom they belonged; which was a very modest way of laying it to his charge, and yet very striking and convincing:

and she said; by the messenger she sent:

discern, I pray thee, whose [are] these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff; which were the things given her as a pledge till she received the kid, the hire she was to have for his lying with her.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(25, 26) She sent . . . The Talmud praises Tamar for so acting, as to bring no public disgrace upon Judah; and he acknowledges that he was most to blame, because the cause of her crime was his own failure to act justly by her.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

‘When she was brought out she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man whose these things are.” And she said, “Discern, I beg you, whose these things are, the signet and the cords and the staff.”

The mound for the fire has probably already been prepared, and the tribe will be gathered to watch the sentence carried out. Then the woman is dragged out into the centre of the crowd and faces her judge, probably being given final moments in which she can express her contrition and even name the culprit. And to her judge she says that the guilty man can be known for she possesses his signet and cords, and his staff of identification. And on this she asks him to identify them.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

How strikingly true is that scripture to this conduct! Rom 2:1 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Gen 38:25 When she [was] brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these [are, am] I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose [are] these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.

Ver. 25. By the man, whose these are, &c. ] So his secret sin comes to light. All will out at length, though never so studiously concealed. Mat 10:26 “That which hath wings shall tell the matter.” Ecc 10:20 It was a quill, a piece of a wing, that discovered the Gun Powder Plot. a

Discern, I pray thee, whose are these. ] So, when we come to God, though he seem never so angry and ill set against us, can we but present unto him ourselves his own; our prayer, Mediator, arguments, all his; and then say, as she here to Judah, “Whose are these?” he cannot deny himself.

a Ut taceant homines iumenta loquentur. – Juven.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)