Judah

31The LORD saw that Leah was not loved. So he let her have children. But Rachel could not have children.

And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

NoteThe old words say Leah was "hated." It means Jacob loved her less than he loved Rachel.

32Leah was going to have a baby, and she had a son. She named him Reuben. She said, "The LORD has seen my trouble. Now my husband will love me."

And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

NoteIn their language, Reuben sounds like "look, a son." Leah chose the name because God had looked at her sadness.

33She had another son. She said, "The LORD heard that I was not loved. So he gave me this son too." She named him Simeon.

And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

NoteIn their language, Simeon sounds like the word for "heard."

34She had another son. She said, "Now my husband will hold close to me. I have given him three sons." So he was named Levi.

And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

NoteIn their language, Levi sounds like the word for "joined" or "held close."

35She had another son. She said, "This time I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.

And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

NoteIn their language, Judah sounds like the word for "praise."

18They saw him far away, before he came close to them. They made a plan to kill him.

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

19They said to each other, "Look, here comes the dreamer."

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

NoteThey said "the dreamer" to make fun of him. It was not a kind name.

20"Come on, let us kill him. We will throw him into one of the pits. We will say a wild animal ate him. Then we will see what happens to his dreams."

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.

NoteThese pits were deep holes dug in the ground. People dug them to hold rainwater. The sides were steep, so no one could climb out alone.

21Reuben heard this. He saved Joseph from them. He said, "Let us not kill him."

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

NoteReuben was the oldest brother. The oldest son was expected to take care of the family.

22Reuben said to them, "Do not spill his blood. Throw him into this pit out here in the wild. But do not hurt him." Reuben said this so he could save Joseph and take him back to his father.

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.

Note"Do not spill his blood" was a way of saying, "Do not kill him."

23When Joseph came to his brothers, they pulled off his coat. It was the coat of many colors he was wearing.

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;

24They took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty. There was no water in it.

And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

25Then they sat down to eat. They looked up and saw a group of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh. They were taking these things down to Egypt.

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

NoteIshmaelites were traders who traveled with camels. Gilead was a place known for its plants and medicine. Balm is sticky sap from a tree, used to help sore skin. Myrrh is another sticky sap, used to make sweet smells.

26Judah said to his brothers, "What do we gain if we kill our brother and hide what we did?"

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

NoteJudah means hiding what they had done so nobody would find out.

27"Come on, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites. Let us not hurt him ourselves. He is our brother. He is our own family." His brothers agreed.

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

Note"Our own flesh" means someone from your own family.

28Then some Midianite traders came by. They pulled Joseph up out of the pit. They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

NoteMidianites were traders too, from a land east of Canaan. Twenty pieces of silver was the usual price for a young slave. A slave was a person owned by someone else and forced to work.

1At that time Judah went down away from his brothers. He went to stay with a man named Hirah, who was from the town of Adullam.

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

NoteAdullam was a town in Canaan. Judah left his own family to live near people who were not his relatives.

2There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shuah. He married her and slept with her.

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

NoteThe Canaanites were the people already living in that land. Judah's family had come there from far away.

3She became pregnant and had a son. Judah named him Er.

And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.

4She became pregnant again and had a son. She named him Onan.

And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.

5She became pregnant once more and had a son. She named him Shelah. This son was born at a place called Chezib.

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

6Judah chose a wife for Er, his oldest son. Her name was Tamar.

And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.

NoteBack then parents chose who their children would marry. The oldest son mattered most. He got the biggest share of the family's things when his father died.

7But Er, Judah's oldest son, was wicked in the LORD's sight. And the LORD put him to death.

And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.

Note"The LORD" in big letters stands for God's own special name. To be wicked "in the LORD's sight" means God saw what the man did.

8Then Judah said to Onan, "Sleep with your brother's wife. Marry her, as a brother should. Have a child who will count as your brother's child."

And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

NoteThis was a rule families followed long ago. If a man died with no children, his brother married the widow. Their first baby was counted as the dead brother's child. That way the dead man's name and land were not lost.

9Onan knew the child would not be counted as his own. So when he slept with his brother's wife, he spilled his seed on the ground. He did this so his brother would not have a child.

And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.

Note"Seed" here means the tiny part from a father that helps start a baby.

10What Onan did displeased the LORD. So the LORD put him to death too.

And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.

11Then Judah spoke to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, the wife of his son. He said, "Go live at your father's house. Stay a widow there until my son Shelah is grown up." Judah thought, "Shelah might die too, the way his brothers did." So Tamar went and lived in her father's house.

Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.

NoteA widow is a woman whose husband has died. A widow with no husband and no children had no one to take care of her. She usually went back to live with her own father.

12After a long time, Judah's wife died. She was the daughter of Shuah. When Judah was done grieving, he went up to Timnath. His workers were cutting the wool off his sheep there. His friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him.

And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

NoteOnce a year workers cut the thick wool off the sheep. The wool was made into cloth. It was a busy, happy time with lots of food and friends. Timnath was a town some miles away.

13Someone told Tamar, "Look, your husband's father is going up to Timnath to cut the wool off his sheep."

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

14So she took off her widow's clothes. She covered her face with a veil, a cloth that hides the face. She wrapped herself up and sat in an open place beside the road to Timnath. She did this because she saw that Shelah was grown up. She had not been given to him as a wife.

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.

NoteWidows wore special clothes. Anyone who saw them knew that woman's husband had died. A veil is a thin cloth worn over the face, so no one can tell who you are.

15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute. He thought this because her face was covered.

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

NoteA prostitute is a woman who is paid by men to sleep with them.

16He turned off the road and went to her. He said, "Come now, please let me sleep with you." He did not know she was his son's wife. She said, "What will you give me if I do?"

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?

17He said, "I will send you a young goat from my flock." She said, "Will you give me something to keep until you send it?"

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?

NoteThere were no coins yet. People paid each other with animals and food. A young goat was worth quite a lot.

18He said, "What should I give you to keep?" She said, "Your seal, your cord, and the walking stick in your hand." He gave them to her. He slept with her, and she became pregnant by him.

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.

NoteA seal was a small carved stone worn on a cord around the neck. A man pressed it into soft clay to sign his name. His walking stick had his own marks on it too. Everyone who saw these things knew exactly whose they were. Leaving them behind was like leaving your name as a promise.

19Then she got up and went away. She took off her veil and put her widow's clothes back on.

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

20Judah sent the young goat with his friend from Adullam. The friend was to get back the things Judah had left with the woman. But he could not find her.

And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand: but he found her not.

21So he asked the men of that place, "Where is the prostitute who was out by the roadside?" They said, "There has been no prostitute in this place."

Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.

22He went back to Judah and said, "I cannot find her. The men of that place said there was no prostitute there."

And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.

23Judah said, "Let her keep the things, or we will be shamed. I did send this young goat, and you could not find her."

And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

NoteJudah means that people would laugh at him. He had given his own name-stone to a stranger and could not get it back.

24About three months later, someone told Judah, "Tamar, your son's wife, has acted like a prostitute. Look, she is pregnant from it." Judah said, "Bring her out. Let her be burned."

And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.

NoteThe father was the head of the whole family. He decided what should happen when someone in his family did wrong. That is why the news was brought to Judah.

25As she was brought out, she sent a message to her husband's father. She said, "I am pregnant by the man who owns these things." She also said, "Please look and see. Whose seal and cord and walking stick are these?"

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.

26Judah knew they were his. He said, "She has done right, more than I have. I did not give her to my son Shelah." And he never slept with her again.

And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

NoteThe old words say she was "more righteous" than Judah. He means that she kept her part of the family rule and he did not.

27When it was time for her baby to be born, there were twins inside her.

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

28While she was giving birth, one baby put out his hand. The midwife, the woman who helps babies be born, tied a red thread on his hand. She said, "This one came out first."

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 thread, saying, This came out first.

NoteA midwife is a woman whose job is helping mothers when a baby is born. The red thread marked which twin came out first. That mattered, because the first son born had the special place in the family.

29But he pulled his hand back, and his brother came out. She said, "How you have broken your way out! This breaking out is yours." So he was named Pharez.

And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.

NoteIn their language the name Pharez sounds like the words "breaking out." People often gave babies names that sounded like something that happened that day.

30Then his brother came out, with the red thread on his hand. He was named Zarah.

And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

NoteThe name Zarah sounds like a word for a bright red shine, like the sky at sunrise. It matched the red thread on his hand.

1The famine was very bad in the land.

And the famine was sore in the land.

NoteA famine is a long time when crops do not grow. People cannot get enough food to eat.

2They ate up all the grain they had brought from Egypt. Then their father said to them, "Go back and buy us a little food."

And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

NoteEgypt was a country far away, with a great river. Food still grew there when other lands had none. The brothers had gone there once already to buy grain.

3Judah said to him, "The man warned us in a very serious way. He said, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'

And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

Note"The man" is the ruler who sold them grain in Egypt. He was really their own brother Joseph. They did not know that yet.

4If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.

If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:

5But if you will not send him, we will not go down. The man told us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"

But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

6Their father Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly? Why did you tell the man you had another brother?"

And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

NoteIsrael is another name for their father Jacob. The story uses both names for the same man.

7They said, "The man asked us many careful questions about us and our family. He said, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' We answered him just as he asked. How could we know he would say, 'Bring your brother down here'?"

And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

8Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me. We will get up and go. Then we will live and not die, and so will you and our little children.

And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

NoteThe boy is Benjamin, the youngest brother. Judah wants his father to let Benjamin go with them.

9I will promise to keep him safe. You can hold me to it. If I do not bring him back and stand him in front of you, let me carry the blame forever.

I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:

10If we had not waited so long, we would already be back from this second trip."

For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.

11Their father Israel said to them, "If it must be this way, then do this. Put some of the best things the land grows in your bags. Carry them down to the man as a gift. Take a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds.

And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

NoteBalm was a sticky sap from a tree. People used it like medicine. Myrrh was sap too, and it smelled sweet. Bringing a gift to a powerful man was the polite thing to do.

12Take twice as much money with you. Also take back the money that was put in the top of your sacks. Maybe it was a mistake.

And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:

NoteMoney then was not coins. It was pieces of silver, weighed to see what they were worth.

13Take your brother too. Get up and go back to the man.

Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:

14May God Almighty make the man kind to you. Then he may send back your other brother, and Benjamin too. If I lose my children, then I lose them."

And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

NoteAlmighty is an old word. It means having all power.

14Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house. Joseph was still there. They fell down on the ground in front of him.

And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.

NoteFalling flat on the ground showed great respect to a ruler. People did this in front of kings and great men.

15Joseph said to them, "What is this you have done? Don't you know that a man like me can find out hidden things?"

And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

Note"Wot ye not" is old English for "don't you know."

16Judah said, "What can we say to my lord? What words can we speak? How can we show we did no wrong? God has found the wrong your servants did. We are my lord's slaves now. All of us, and the one who had the cup."

And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.

17Joseph said, "I would never do that. Only the man who had the cup will be my slave. The rest of you, go home to your father in peace."

And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.

18Then Judah came close to him and said, "Please, my lord, let me say one word to you. Please do not be angry with me. You are as great as Pharaoh."

Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.

NotePharaoh was the king of Egypt. Saying Joseph was like Pharaoh meant Joseph had huge power. "Let not thine anger burn" means "please do not get angry with me."

19"My lord asked us, 'Do you have a father or a brother?'"

My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

20"We said to my lord, 'We have a father. He is old. He has a young son who was born when he was old. That boy's brother is dead. He is the only son left from his mother. His father loves him.'"

And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.

NoteThe brother they say is dead is Joseph. They do not know they are speaking to him right now.

21"Then you said to us, 'Bring him down to me so I can see him with my own eyes.'"

And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.

22"We said to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father. If he left him, his father would die.'"

And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.

23"Then you said to us, 'If your youngest brother does not come with you, you will not see my face again.'"

And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.

Note"See my face" means to come and talk with someone important. He is saying they may not come back to him.

24"So we went back up to your servant, my father. We told him what my lord said."

And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25"Our father said, 'Go back and buy us a little food.'"

And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.

26"We said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother comes with us, then we will go. We cannot see the man's face without our youngest brother.'"

And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man’s face, except our youngest brother be with us.

27"Your servant, my father, said to us, 'You know that my wife had two sons for me.'"

And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons:

NoteThis father is Jacob. He had twelve sons, but only two of them came from his wife Rachel. Those two were Joseph and Benjamin.

28"'One of them went away from me. I said, "He has surely been torn to pieces." I have not seen him since then.'"

And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:

NoteHe thought a wild animal had killed his son and torn his body.

29"'If you take this one away from me too, and something bad happens to him, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow.'"

And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

NoteGray hair meant a person was old. "Bring my gray hairs to the grave" means the sadness would kill his old father. The grave is where a person's body is put after they die.

30"My father's own life is tied to the boy's life. So think what will happen if I go back to my father without the boy."

Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad’s life;

31"When he sees the boy is not with us, he will die. Then we will bring our old father down to the grave in sorrow."

It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.

32"I promised my father that the boy would be safe. I said, 'If I do not bring him back to you, I will carry the blame forever.'"

For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.

Note"Became surety" means he made a strong promise. He said he would take the punishment himself if the boy did not come home.

33"So please let me stay here as my lord's slave instead of the boy. Let the boy go home with his brothers."

Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.

34"How can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the trouble that would come to my father."

For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.

Note"Peradventure" is an old word for "maybe."

28Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, to show the way to Goshen. Then they came into the land of Goshen.

And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.

NoteGoshen was a grassy part of Egypt. It had good land for sheep and cattle.

29Joseph got his chariot ready and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel. He came to him and threw his arms around him. He cried on his shoulder for a long time.

And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

NoteA chariot was a light cart with two wheels. Horses pulled it, and it went fast.

30Israel said to Joseph, "Now I am ready to die. I have seen your face, and you are still alive."

And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.

NoteJacob does not want to die right then. He means he is so happy that nothing is missing now.

31Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's family, "I will go up and tell Pharaoh. I will say to him, 'My brothers and my father's family have come to me from the land of Canaan.

And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father’s house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father’s house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;

32"'The men are shepherds. Their work has always been taking care of animals. They have brought their sheep, their cattle, and everything they own.'

And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.

33"When Pharaoh calls for you, he will ask, 'What is your work?'

And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation?

34"Then you must say, 'We your servants have taken care of animals since we were young. Our fathers did the same.' Say this so you may live in the land of Goshen. The Egyptians hate every shepherd."

That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

NoteEgyptians did not like shepherds and kept away from them. So saying they were shepherds would help Jacob's family get land of their own in Goshen.