Part 46

37:29. And Ruben returning to the pit, found not the boy:

37:30. And rending his garments he went to his brethren, and said: The boy doth not appear, and whither shall I go?

37:31. And they took his coat, and dipped it in the blood of a kid, which they had killed:

37:32. Sending some to carry it to their father, and to say: This we have found: see whether it be thy son’s coat, or not.

37:33. And the father acknowledging it, said: It is my son’s coat, an evil wild beast hath eaten him, a beast hath devoured Joseph.

37:34. And tearing his garments, he put on sackcloth, mourning for his son a long time.

37:35. And all his children being gathered together to comfort their father in his sorrow, he would not receive comfort, but said: I will go down to my son into hell, mourning. And whilst he continued weeping,

Into hell.... That is, into limbo, the place where the souls of the just were received before the death of our Redeemer. For allowing that the word hell sometimes is taken for the grave, it cannot be so taken in this place; since Jacob did not believe his son to be in the grave, (whom he supposed to be devoured by a wild beast,) and therefore could not mean to go down to him thither: but certainly meant the place of rest where he believed his soul to be.

37:36. The Madianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Putiphar, an eunuch of Pharao, captain of the soldiers.

An eunuch.... This word sometimes signifies a chamberlain, courtier, or officer of the king: and so it is taken in this place.

Genesis Chapter 38

The sons of Juda: the death of Her and Onan: the birth of Phares and Zara.

38:1. At that time Juda went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Odollamite, named Hiras.

38:2. And he saw there the daughter of a man of Chanaan, called Sue: and taking her to wife, he went in unto her.

38:3. And she conceived, and bore a son, and called his name Her.

38:4. And conceiving again, she bore a son, and called him Onan.

38:5. She bore also a third: whom she called Sela. After whose birth, she ceased to bear any more.

38:6. And Juda took a wife for Her, his first born, whose name was Thamar.

38:7. And Her, the first born of Juda, was wicked in the sight of the Lord: and was slain by him.

38:8. Juda, therefore, said to Onan his son: Go in to thy brother’s wife and marry her, that thou mayst raise seed to thy brother.

38:9. He knowing that the children should not be his, when he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled his seed upon the ground, lest children should be born in his brother’s name.

38:10. And therefore the Lord slew him, because he did a detestable thing:

38:11. Wherefore Juda said to Thamar his daughter-in-law: Remain a widow in thy father’s house, till Sela my son grow up: for he was afraid lest he also might die, as his brethren did. She went her way, and dwelt in her father’s house.

38:12. And after many days were past: the daughter of Sue the wife of Juda died: and when he had taken comfort after his mourning, he went up to Thamnas, to the shearers of his sheep, he and Hiras the Odollamite, the shepherd of his flock.

38:13. And it was told Thamar that her father-in-law was come up to Thamnas to shear his sheep.

38:14. And she put off the garments of her widowhood, and took a veil: and changing her dress, sat in the cross way, that leadeth to Thamnas: because Sela was grown up, and she had not been married to him.

38:15. When Juda saw her, he thought she was a harlot: for she had covered her face, lest she should be known.

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?