Genesis 38:23
New International Version
Then Judah said, “Let her keep what she has, or we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn’t find her.”

New Living Translation
“Then let her keep the things I gave her,” Judah said. “I sent the young goat as we agreed, but you couldn’t find her. We’d be the laughingstock of the village if we went back again to look for her.”

English Standard Version
And Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.”

Berean Standard Bible
“Let her keep the items,” Judah replied. “Otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you could not find her.”

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

New King James Version
Then Judah said, “Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her.”

New American Standard Bible
Then Judah said, “Let her keep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.”

NASB 1995
Then Judah said, “Let her keep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.”

NASB 1977
Then Judah said, “Let her keep them, lest we become a laughingstock. After all, I sent this kid, but you did not find her.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Judah said, “Let her keep them, lest we become a laughingstock. Behold, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.”

Amplified Bible
Then Judah said, “Let her keep the things (pledge articles) for herself, otherwise we will be a laughingstock [searching everywhere for her]. After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.”

Christian Standard Bible
Judah replied, “Let her keep the items for herself; otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Judah replied, “Let her keep the items for herself; otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”

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

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Yehuda said, “She may take it, lest I be a laughing stock; behold, I have sent this kid and you have not found her.”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Judas said, Let her have them, but let us not be ridiculed; I sent this kid, but thou hast not found her.

Contemporary English Version
"If you couldn't find her, we'll just let her keep the things I gave her," Judah answered. "And we'd better forget about the goat, or else we'll look like fools."

Douay-Rheims Bible
Juda said : Let her take it to herself ; surely she cannot charge us with a,lie: I sent the kid which I promised: and thou didst not find her.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Judah said, "Let her keep what I gave her, or we'll become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you couldn't find her."

Good News Translation
Judah said, "Let her keep the things. We don't want people to laugh at us. I did try to pay her, but you couldn't find her."

International Standard Version
Then Judah said, "Let her have those things. Otherwise, we'll become contemptible. I sent this young goat, but you didn't find her."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Judah said: 'Let her take it, lest we be put to shame; behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.'

Literal Standard Version
and Judah says, “Let her take to herself, lest we become despised; behold, I sent this kid, and you have not found her.”

Majority Standard Bible
“Let her keep the items,” Judah replied. “Otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you could not find her.”

New American Bible
“Let her keep the things,” Judah replied; “otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you did not find her.”

NET Bible
Judah said, "Let her keep the things for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest. I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn't find her."

New Revised Standard Version
Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, otherwise we will be laughed at; you see, I sent this kid, and you could not find her.”

New Heart English Bible
Judah said, "Let her keep the things, lest we be publicly shamed. Look, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her."

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

World English Bible
Judah said, “Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this young goat, and you haven’t found her.”

Young's Literal Translation
and Judah saith, 'Let her take to herself, lest we become despised; lo, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judah and Tamar
22So Hirah returned to Judah and said, “I could not find her, and furthermore, the men of that place said, ‘No shrine prostitute has been here.’ ” 23“Let her keep the items,” Judah replied. “Otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you could not find her.” 24About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”…

Cross References
Genesis 38:22
So Hirah returned to Judah and said, "I could not find her, and furthermore, the men of that place said, 'No shrine prostitute has been here.'"

Genesis 38:24
About three months later, Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant." "Bring her out!" Judah replied. "Let her be burned to death!"


Treasury of Scripture

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

lest we.

2 Samuel 12:9
Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

Proverbs 6:33
A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

Romans 6:21
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

be shamed.

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Genesis 38
1. Judah begets Er, Onan, and Shelah.
6. Er's marriage with Tamar, and death.
8. The trespass of Onan.
11. Tamar is reserved for Shelah.
12. Judah's wife dies.
13. Tamar deceives Judah.
27. She bears twins, Pharez and Zarah.














(23) Lest we be shamed.--Maimonides asserts that Judah had committed no breach of the Law, the utmost therein commanded being that no Jewish woman should become a kedeshah (Deuteronomy 23:17). But Judah evidently regards what he had done as shameful, and having big friend's testimony, if needed, to prove that he had performed what he promised, he bears with the loss of his signet and staff, rather than let the people know that he had been guilty of an act which they too would condemn.

Verse 23. - And Judah said, Let her take it to her, - literally, let her take to herself (sc. the pledge) - lest we be shamed (literally, become a contempt, i.e. by inquiring after her. Though not afraid to sin against God, Judah was pained at the idea of losing his reputation before men): behold, I sent this kid (i.e. I take you to witness that I have fulfilled my premise), and thou hast not found her.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Let her
לָ֔הּ (lāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

keep the items,”
תִּֽקַּֽח־ (tiq·qaḥ-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

Judah
יְהוּדָה֙ (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

replied.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Otherwise
פֶּ֖ן (pen)
Conjunction
Strong's 6435: Removal, lest

we will become
נִהְיֶ֣ה (nih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

a laughingstock.
לָב֑וּז (lā·ḇūz)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 937: Disrespect

After all,
הִנֵּ֤ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

I did send her
שָׁלַ֙חְתִּי֙ (šā·laḥ·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

this
הַזֶּ֔ה (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

young goat,
הַגְּדִ֣י (hag·gə·ḏî)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1423: A kid (a young goat)

but you
וְאַתָּ֖ה (wə·’at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

could not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

find her.”
מְצָאתָֽהּ׃ (mə·ṣā·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present


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OT Law: Genesis 38:23 Judah said Let her keep it lest (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 38:22
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