14. Wrapped ber felf: viz. To keep her felf from being known. Open place: was common, Prov. i. e. A place that

14. And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a veil, and wrapped her felf, and fat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath: for he Jaw that Shelah was grown, and She was not given unto him to wife.

15. When Fudab saw her, he thought her to be an harlot, because The bad covered her face.

7. 12. 9. 14, 15.

15. Because the bad covered: This

does not contain the proof of her being an

Harlot, but the reason why Judah did not know her, (v. 16.)

16. 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 he was his daughter in law) and she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayeft come in unto me?

17. And he said, I will fend thee a kid from the flock: and fhe faid, Wilt thou give me a pledge till thou fend it?

18. And he said, what pledge Shall I give thee? and fhe faid, Thy fignet, and thy bracelets, and thy ftaff that is in thine hand: and he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.

.

18. Thy bracelets: Or, Thy Scarf or girdle, according to the Hebrew:

19. And fhe arofe, and went away, and laid by her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowbood.

20: And Judah fent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's band; but he found her not.

21. Then he asked the men of that place, saying, where, is the harlot that was penly by the way fide? and they faid, There was no harlot in this place.

22. And he returned to fudah, and faid, I cannot

:

find her and alfo the men of the place faid, that there was no harlot in this place.

23. And Judah faid, Let her take it to her, left we be fhamed: Behold, I fent this kid, and thou haft not found her.

would have occafioned the discovery

24. And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the barlot, and alfo bebold, he is with child by whoredom: and Judah faid, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.

23. Left we be fhamed: Ór, Become as the a contempt Margent hath it. By purfuing, Judah of his own fin.

24. Bring her forth: Judah would have her brought to her tryal: Adultery was able with death, afterwards punishDeut. 22. 22, 23. and probably at this time, and among this People it was fo

likewife. See the Notes on ch. 7. 2. and fer. 29. 22, 23. She is charged with Adultery, becaufe fhe was in truth the Wife of Shelah, v. II. compared with Deut. 22. 23, Úc. Burnt: As an Adulterefs, and probably according to the Custom of the place. This in one Cafe was the punishment by the Law of Mofes, Lev, 21.9.

25. When he was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, faying, By the man whofe thefe are, am I with child: and fhe faid, Difcern, I pray thee, whofe are these, the fignet, and bracelets, and staff. : 26. And Judah acknowledged them, and faid, She hath been more righteous then 1; becaufe that I gave her not to Shelah my fon: and he knew her again no more.

:

26. Becaufe Igavé, &c. This neglect of his Promife was the

occafion of this evil.

No more: This abftaining from fin is

neceffary, and without it we cannot be faid to repent, Fob 34. 31.

27. And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that behold, twins were in her womb.

28. And

28. And it came to pass when she travailed, that the one put out his hand, and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a Scarlet threed, faying, This came out first.

29. And it came to pass as he I drew back his hand, that behold, bis brother came out: and fhe faid, How haft thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his

name was called Pharez.

29. This breach be upon thee: i. e. Thou haft made this breach, and accordingly he fhould in his name

carry the remembrance of it.

30. And afterward came out his brother, that had the Scarlet threed upon his hand, and his name was called Zarah.

CHA P. XXXIX.

The ARGUMENT.

Jofeph made the Overfeer of the Family of Potiphar, who profpers thereupon. Jofeph is tempted by his Miftrefs. He refifteth the Temptation. He is falsely accufed and caft into Prifon. God is with him in the Prifon, where he is entrusted, and profpers.

2. And the LORD was with fofeph, and he was a profperous man, and he was in the house of his mafter the Egyptian.

91. 15. as allov. 3. and v. 21. of this

9, 10.

3. And bis mafter saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that be did to profper in his band.

4. And Jofeph found grace in his fight, and he ferved him; and he made him overfeer over his boufe, and all that he had be put into his band..

5. And it came to pass, from the time that he had made him overfeer in his houfe, and over all that he had, that the LORD bleffed the Egyptian's boufe for Jo feph's fake; and the bleffing of the LORD was upon all that he had the field."

6. And he left all that he had in Fofeph's hand and he knew not ought be bad, fave the bread which he did eat and Jofeph was a goodly perfon, and well-favoured. felf as to what he eat himself. other Affairs..

7. And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife eaft her eyes upon Jofeph, and the Jaid, Lie with me.

2. With Jofeph : i. e. He was favou rable and mercifull

to him in his affliction. Compare Pfal Chapter, and Act.7.

3. Saw: By the fuccels he judged thus.

4. Overfeer: His chief Steward, as ap pears from . 6, 8, 9.

5. Bleffed: ie InfoProfpered: much that he was profperous in his Affairs both at home and abroad.

in the house, and in

6. Save the bread

which he did eat:i.e. Which Potiphar did eat. So far was he

from care, that he

only concerned himJofeph took care of his

7. Her eyes: Thus began her wickedfafe unless we make

nefs. We are not

a Covenant with our

Eyes, Job 31. 1.

8. But he refufed, and faid unto his master's wife, Behold, my mafter wotteth not what is with me in the boufe, and he hath committed all that he bath to my hand.

8. Refufed: Tho' this he refused to oher Servant, yet in bey her. And he gives fufficient reafons for his refufal,

viz. [1] That by confenting to her he fhould be Ungrate full to his mafter, who had trufted him greatly, (v.8.) And [II] a great Offender against God, (v. 9.) For what we render v. 9. How then, may from the Hebrew be rather rendred and how: To that fenfe it is rendred by the Greek, and then those words do ufher in a diftinct reafon why he could not comply with his Mistress; whereas the prefent Verfion is not fo diftinct, nor yet fo agreeable to the Original.

9. There is none greater in this house then 1; neither bath be kept back any thing from me, but thee, because thou art his wife how then can I do this great wickednefs, and fin against God?

:

10. Or to be with

her: He refifted her Importunity, and

fhunned the occafi on of fin.

11. To do his bufinefs: viz. Which his Mafter had committed to his care. To Search the Writings (or Books) of his ac

counts, fays the Chaldee.

12. And fhe caught him by his garment, Saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

13. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth;

14. That he called unto the men of her house, and spake unto

14. To mock : i. e. To Idifgrace us,