Genesis 38:16
And going to her, he said: Suffer me to lie with thee: for he knew her not to be his daughter in law. And she answered: What wilt thou give me to enjoy my company?
Open Genesis 38:16 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Ingrediensque ad eam, ait : Dimitte me ut coëam tecum : nesciebat enim quod nurus sua esset. Qua respondente : Quid dabis mihi ut fruaris concubitu meo ?
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ἐξέκλινεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὴν τὴν ὁδὸν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Ἔασόν με εἰσελθεῖν πρὸς σέ· οὐ γὰρ ἔγνω ὅτι ἡ νύμφη αὐτοῦ ἐστίν. ἡ δὲ εἶπεν Τί μοι δώσεις ἐὰν εἰσέλθῃς πρὸς μέ;
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיֵּ֨ט אֵלֶ֜יהָ אֶל הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הָֽבָה נָּא֙ אָב֣וֹא אֵלַ֔יִךְ כִּ֚י לֹ֣א יָדַ֔ע כִּ֥י כַלָּת֖וֹ הִ֑וא וַתֹּ֨אמֶר֙ מַה תִּתֶּן לִּ֔י כִּ֥י תָב֖וֹא אֵלָֽי
The Fathers on this verse
St Augustine Against Lying, Section 30
30. But why do these persons think they may imitate Tamar telling a lie, and not think they may imitate Judah committing fornication? For there they have read both, and nought of these hath that Scripture either blamed or praised, but has merely narrated both, and to our judgment dismissed both: but it is marvellous if it hath permitted aught of these to be imitated with impunity. For, that Tamar not through lust of playing the harlot, but through wish of conceiving seed, did tell the lie, we know. …
St Jerome The Letters of St. Jerome, To Ageruchia
13. It is true that the patriarchs had each of them more wives than one and that they had numerous concubines besides. And as if their example was not enough, David had many wives and Solomon a countless number. Judah went in to Tamar thinking her to be a harlot; and according to the letter that killeth the prophet Hosea married not only a whore but an adulteress. If these instances are to justify us let us neigh after every woman that we meet; like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah let us be found by the last day buying and selling, marrying and giving in marriage; and let us only end our marrying with the close of our lives. …