Verse

Genesis 38:1

ESV It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
NIV At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah.
NASB And it came about at that time, that Judah departed from his brothers and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
CSB At that time Judah left his brothers and settled near an Adullamite named Hirah.
NLT About this time, Judah left home and moved to Adullam, where he stayed with a man named Hirah.
KJV 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.

What does Genesis 38:1 mean?

This begins a short explanation of Judah's scandalous family history, starting immediately after Joseph is sold to slave traders (Genesis 37:26–28). The events of Genesis 38 take place before Jacob and his sons later travel to Egypt and discover that Joseph is still alive (Genesis 45:1).

For unexplained reasons, Judah (Genesis 29:35) moves away from the family at Hebron and goes down to a town called Adullam. This is located at a lower elevation, in the foothills northwest of Hebron. He meets or reconnects with an Adullamite friend named Hirah. Judah's history in this time is marked by sin, deception, and scandal.
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