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8 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה לְאוֹנָן בָּא אֶל־אֵשֶׁת אָחִיךָ וְיַבֵּם אֹתָהּ וְהָקֵם זֶרַע לְאָחִיךְ ; 9 וַיִּדַע אוֹנָן כִּי לֹא לוֹ יִהְיֶה הַזְרע וְהָיָה אִם־בָּא אֶל־אֵשֶׁת אָחִיו וְשִׁחֵת אַרְצָה לְבִלְתִּי נְתָן זֶרַע לְאָחִיו : 10 וַיָּרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וַיָּמֶת גַּם־אֹתוֹ : 11 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה לְתָמָר כַּלָּתוֹ שְׁבֵי אַלְמָנָה בֵּית־אָבִיךְ עַד־יִגְדַּל שֵׁלָה בְנִי כִּי אָמַר פֶּן־יָמוּת גַּם־ הוּא כְּאֶחָיו וַתֵּלֶךְ תָּמָר וַתֵּשֶׁב בֵּית אָבִיהָ: 12 וַיִּרְבּוּ הַיָּמִים וַתָּמָת בַּת־שְׁמַע אֵשֶׁת־יְהוּדָה וַיִּנָּחֶם יְהוּדָה ויעל עַל־גזזי צאנוֹ הוּא וְחִירָה רֵעֶהוּ הָעֶדְלָּמִי תִּמְנָתָה: 13 וַיִּגַּד לְתָמָר לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה חָמִיךְ עלֶה תִמְנָתָה לָגָן צאנו : 14 וַתָּסַר בִּגְדֵי אַלְמְנוּתָה מֵעָלֶיהָ וַתְּכַס בַּצְעִיף וַתִּתְעַלָּף וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּפֶתַח עֵינַיִם אֲשֶׁר עַל־דֶרֶךְ תִּמְנָתָה כִּי רָאֲתָה כִּי־גָדַל שֵׁלָה וְהִוא לֹא־נִתְּנָה לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה: 15 וַיִּרְאֶהָ יְהוּדָה וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לְזוֹנָה כִּי כַסְתָה פָּנֶיהָ : 16 ויט אֵלֶיהָ אֶל־הַדֶּרֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר הָבָה־נָא אָבוֹא אֵלַיִךְ כִּי לֹא יָדַע כִּי כַלָּתוֹ הִוא וַתֹּאמֶר מַה־־תִּתֶּן־לִי כִּי תָבוֹא אֵלָי: 17 וַיֹּאמֶר אָנֹכִי אֲשַׁלַּח גְּדִי עַזִים מִן־הַצָאן וַיֹּאמֶר אִם־תִּתֵּן עֵרָבוֹן עֵד שָׁלְחֶךְ : 18 וַיֹּאמֶר מָה הָעֶרֶבון אֲשֶׁר אֶתֶּן־לָךְ וַתֹּאמֶר חֹתָמְךְ וּפְתִילֶךְ וּמַטְךְ

שֶׁר בְּיָדֶךָ וַיִּתֶּן־לָהּ וַיְבָא אֵלֶיהָ וַתַּהַר לוֹ: 19 וַתָּקָם וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתָּסַר צְעִיפָהּ מֵעָלֶיהָ וַתִּלְבַּשׁ בִּגְדֵי אַלְמְנוּתָהּ: 20 וַיִּשְׁלַח יְהוּדָה אֶת־גְּדִי הָעֲלִים בְּיַד רֵעֶהוּ הָעֶרְלָמִי לָקַחַת הָעֶרָבוֹן מִיַּד הָאִשָּׁה וְלֹא מְצָאָהּ: 21 וַיִּשְׁאַל אֶת־אַנְשֵׁי מְקֹמָהּ לֵאמֹר אַיִךְ הַקְדֵשָׁה הִוא בָעֵינֶים

ל־הַדֶּרֶךְ וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא־הָיְתָה בָזֶה קְדֵשָׁה : 22 וַיָּשָׁב אֶל־יְהוּדָה וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא־־מְצָאתִיהָ וְגַם אַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקוֹם אָמְרוּ לֹא־־הָיְתָה בָזֶה קְדֵשָׁה : 23 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה תְּקַח־לָה פֶן נִהְיֶה לָבוּז הִנֵּה שָׁלַחְתִּי הַגְּדִי הַזֶּה וְאַתָּה לֹא מְצָאתָהּ: 24 וַיְהִי בְּמִשְׁלְשׁ חָרָשִׁים וַיִּגַּד לִיהוּדָה

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34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning: Thus his father wept for him.

36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt, unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard. ||

CHAP. XXXVIII. 1 Judah begetteth Er, Onan, and Shelah. 6 Er marrieth Tamar. 8 The trespass of Onan.

AND it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned into a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

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2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.

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25 And they sat down to eat bread and they lift up their eyes and looked, and behold, a company.. of Ishmaelites came from Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery, and balm, and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.

26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? *

27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother, and our flesh: and his brethren were content. §

28 Then there

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ites, merchant-men; and they drew and lift up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites, for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

29 ¶ And Reuben returned unto the pit; and behold, Joseph was not in the pit: and he rent his clothes.

30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?

31 And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood.

32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no.

33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him: Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.

3 And she conceived and bare a son; and he called his name Er. ..4 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.

5 And she yet again conceived, and bare a son: and called his name Shelah, and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.

6 And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, whose name was Tamar.

7 And Er, Judah's first-born, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.

left the body; but as the coat is found and not the body, it is clear that an evil beast hath devoured him. Abarbanel.

* The learned Abarbanel hath observed, that there are but three things which influence a person to commit murder; viz. First, to take from him his wealth; Second, revenge; Third, to exult over him as a conqueror: to all which Judah replied. For as to the first, says he, what profit will accrue to us from it? Secondly, he is our brother, so that we should take revenge on our own flesh and blood; and thirdly, we must conceal his blood; and consequently can have no opportunity of boasting over him.

§ That is, according to the Hebrew, they hearkened to him-paid attention to what he said, and were willing to follow his advice.

Heb. Eunuch. Although the word does not signify eunuchs only: but also courtiers, officers, and chamberlains.

|| Heb. Chief of the slaughtermen, or executioners. Nachmanides and Abarbanel.

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וְהַבּוֹר רֵק אֵין בּוֹ מָיִם: 25 וַיִּשְׁבוּ לֶאֱכָל־לֶחֶם וַיִּשְׂאוּ עינֵיהֶם וַיִּרְאוּ וְהִנֵּה אֹרְחַת יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים בָּאָה מִגְלְעָר וּגְמַלֵּיהֶם נְשְׁאִים נְכֹאת וּצְרִי וָלֹט הוֹלְכִים לְהוֹרִיד מִצְרָיְמָה: 23 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה אֶל־אֶחָיו מַה־בֶּצַע כִּי נַהֲרֹן אֶת־אָחִינוּ וְכַפִּינוּ אֶת־־דָמָוֹ : 27 לְכוּ וְנִמְכְּרֵנוּ לישמעאלִים וְיָדֵנוּ אַל־תְּהִי-בוֹ כִּי־אָחִינוּ בְשָׂרֵנוּ הוּא וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶחָיו : 28 וַיַּעַבְרוּ אֲנָשִׁים מִדְיָנִים סְחֵרִים וַיִּמְשְׁכוּ וַיַּעֲלוּ אֶת־יוֹסֵף מִן־הַבּוֹר וַיִּמְכְּרָוּ אֶת־־יוֹסֶף לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים בְּעֶשְׂרִים כָּסֶף וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת־יוֹסֵף מִצְרָיְמָה : 29 וַיָּשָׁב רְאוּבֵן אֶל־הַבּוֹר וְהִנֵּה אֵין-יוֹסֵף בַּבּוֹר וַיִּקְרַע אֶת־בְּגָדֶיו : 30 וַיָּשָׁב אֶל־אֶחָיו וַיֹּאמַר הַיֶלֶד אֵינֶוּ וַאֲנִי אָנָה אֲנִי־בָא

וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת־כְּתְנֶת יוֹסֶף וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ שְׂעִיר עִים וַיִּטְבְּלִוּ אֶת־־הַכִּתְּנֶת בַּדָּם: 33 וַיְשַׁלְחוּ אֶת־כְּתְנֶת הַפַּסִים וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶל־אֲבִיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ זאת מָצָאנוּ הַכֶּר־נָא הַכְּתְנֶת בִּנְךָ הִוא אִם־לֹא: 33 וַיַּכִּירָהּ וַיֹּאמֶר כָּתְנֶת בְּנֵי חַיָּה רָעָה אֲכָלָתְהוּ טָרָף טֶרֶף וְסֶף : 34 וַיִּקְרָע יעקב שִׂמְלֹתָיו וַיָּשֶׂם עַק בְּמָתְנָיו וַיִּתְאַבֶּל עַל־ בְּנוֹ יָמִים רַבִּים : 35 וַיָּקָמוּ כָּל־בָּנָיו וְכָל־בְּנֹתָיו לְנַחֲמוֹ וַיְמָאֵן לְהִתְנַחֵם וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי־אֵרֵךְ אֶל־בְּנֵי אָבֵל שְׁאֲלָה וַיִּבְךְ אֹתוֹ אָבִיו : 36 וְהַמְדָנִים מָכְרוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל־מִצְרָיִם

לִפְוֹטִיפַר סְרִיס פַּרְעֹה שַׂר הַטַבָּחִים : לח וַיְהִי בָּעֵת הַהִוא וַיֵּרֶד יְהוּדָה מֵאֵת אֶחָיו וַיַּט

עַד־־אִישׁ עַרְלָמִי וּשְׁמוֹ חִירָה : 2 וַיַּרְא־שָׁם יְהוּדָה בַּת־אִישׁ כְּנַעֲנִי וּשְׁמוֹ שְׁבַּע וַיִּקָּחֶהָ וַיָּבֵא אֵלֶיהָ: 3 וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַיִּקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמוֹ עֶר : 4 וַתַּהַר עוֹד וַתֵּלֶד בֶּן וַתִּקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמוֹ, אוֹנָן : 5 וַתְּסֶף עוֹד וַתֵּלֶד וַתִּקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמוֹ שֵׁלָה וְהָיָה בִכְזִיב בְּלִדְתָּהּ אֹתוֹ : 6 וַיָּקָח יְהוּדָה אִשָּׁה לְעֶר בְּכוֹרוֹ וּשְׁמָהּ תָּמָר : 7 וַיְהִי עֶר בְּכוֹר יְהוּדָה רַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה וַיְמִתֵהוּ יְהוָה :

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round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

8 And his brethren said unto him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

9 ¶ And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more, and behold, the sun and the moon, and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

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him, and behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?

16 And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks?

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10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: * and his father rebuked him, § and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee, to the earth.

11 And his brethren envied him: but his father observed the saying.

12 ¶ And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.

13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said unto him, Here am I. ‡

14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it will be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

15 And a certain man found

17 And the man said, They are departed hence: for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him, to slay him.

19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. ||

20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit; and we will say some evil beast hath devoured him: ¶ and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands: and said, Let us not kill him.

22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.

23 ¶ And it came to pass when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him.

24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit; and the pit was

* After he had told it to his brethren, he again told it to his father in their presence. Jarchi. § Not in anger, but to prevent or allay the anger of his brethren, when they perceived that his father treated it with a kind of contempt.

Here we have a proof of the meekness, as also the submission of Joseph to his father's command, in the readiness he shewed to obey him, notwithstanding his being sensible of the hatred which his brethren bare to him.

Heb. Master of dreams.-They called him the master of dreams, because they were of opinion that he did not really dream those dreams which he told them, but had devised them of himself: for which reason they said, "Come now therefore, and let us slay him, &c. and we shall see what will become of his dreams." This they said by way of derision. Which of the brethren it was that uttered this expression, we cannot be certain; but it is the opinion of the commentators that it was Simeon and Levi: and when the whole is considered, it will appear, that there is great probability of truth in this opinion; for Reuben and Judah did not seem to wish his death: and as to the children of the hand-maids, they were not of esteem sufficient to talk in that manner against the favorite son of their father; besides, he was in the habit of friendship with them. See verse 2.

For, said they, when our father sees the coat of many colours brought to him he will easily believe our tale; for had he been murdered by robbers, they would have taken the coat, and have

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