Kejadian 38:11

38:11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son grows up.” For he thought, ¹  “I don’t want him to die like his brothers.” ²  So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

Kejadian 50:5

50:5 ‘My father made me swear an oath. He said, ³  “I am about to die. Bury me ⁴  in my tomb that I dug for myself there in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go and bury my father; then I will return.’”

[38:11]  ¹ tn Heb “said.”

[38:11]  ² tn Heb “Otherwise he will die, also he, like his brothers.”

[38:11]  sn I don’t want him to die like his brothers. This clause explains that Judah had no intention of giving Shelah to Tamar for the purpose of the levirate marriage. Judah apparently knew the nature of his sons, and feared that God would be angry with the third son and kill him as well.

[50:5]  ³ tn Heb “saying.”

[50:5]  ⁴ tn The imperfect verbal form here has the force of a command.