In the time of her travail, behold, twins were in her womb.
Parallel Translations
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In the time of her travail, behold, twins were in her womb.
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And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
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And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
Cross-references (1)
Passages linked to Genesis 38:27 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 25:24 When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (6 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 27. Behold twins were in her womb. Although both…
27. Behold twins were in her womb. Although both Judah obtained pardon for his error, and Tamar for her wicked contrivance; yet the Lord, in order to humble them, caused a prodigy to take place in the birth. Something similar had before happened in the case of Jacob and Esau, but for a different reason: as we know that prodigies sometimes portend good, sometimes evil. Here, however, there is no doubt that the twins, in their very birth, bring with them marks of their parents’ infamy. For it was both profitable to themselves that the memory of their shame should be renewed, and it served as a public example, that such a crime should be branded with eternal disgrace. There is an ambiguity in the meaning of the midwife’s words. Some suppose the “breaking forth” to apply to the membrane of the womb, which is broken when the foetus comes forth. Others more correctly suppose, that the midwife wondered how Pharez, having broken through the barrier interposed, should have come out first; for his brother, who had preceded him, was, as an intervening wall, opposed to him. To some the expression appears to be an imprecation; as if it had been said, “Let the blame of the rupture be upon thee.” But Moses, so far as I can judge, intends to point out nothing more, than that a prodigy took place at the birth.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Gen 38:27 And it came to pass in the…
Gen 38:27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins [were] in her womb.
Ver. 27. Behold, twins were in her womb.] Betokening two peoples pertaining to Christ. The Jews first put forth their hand, as it were, willing to be justified by their works, and to regenerate themselves. For this, they were bound with a scarlet thread - condemned by the law: wherefore, pulling back their hand, they fell from God. Then came forth Pharez, the breach-maker, that is, the violent and valiant Gentiles; who took the first birthright and kingdom by force: who when they are fully born, then shall the Jews come forth again. {Rom 11:11; Rom 11:25-26} And that this is not far off, hear what a worthy divine, {a} yet living, saith: In Dan 12:11 we have a prophecy of the final restoration of the Jews, and the time is expressed, which is 1290 years after the ceasing of the daily sacrifice, and the setting up of the abomination of desolation, which is conceived to be in Julian’s time; who did essay to rebuild the Temple of the Jews, which was an abomination to God; who therefore destroyed it by fire out of the earth, tearing up the very foundation thereof, to the nethermost stone. This was Anno Dom. 360, to which if you add 1290 years, it will pitch this calculation upon the year 1650. Before this, Babylon must down, &c.
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{a} Mr Case’s God’s Wait. to be Grac., p. 58.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And it came to pass when she travailed,.... Her…
And it came to pass when she travailed,.... Her birth throes came strong and quick upon her:
that the one put out his hand; which showed that she was like to have a difficult and dangerous time of it; that the birth was not like to be according to the usual and natural order, which may be considered as a correction for her sin:
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and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying,
this came out first; she tied this to his wrist, that she might know whose hand it was, and so which was the firstborn; which, to know was a matter of consequence, since to the firstborn there were some special and peculiar privileges.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And it came to pass in the time of…
And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. Cf. the case of Rebekah. (Gen_25:24)
Vers. 27-30.
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Tamar"s twins.
I POINTS OF RESEMBLANCE.
(1) The offspring of the same parents;
(2) the fruit of the same sin;
(3) the gift of the same God.
II POINTS OF DISTINCTION.
(1) The order of their birth;
(2) the import of their names;
(3) the purpose of their lives the first being an ancestor of the promised seed.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 It came about at the time
It came about at the time
This phrase is used here to mark the beginning of a new part of the story. (See: Introduction of a New Event)
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behold
The word "behold" alerts us to the surprise that Tamar was carrying twins, which was previously unknown.
It came about as she was giving birth
This phrase "It came about" marks an important event in the story. If your language has a way for doing this, you could consider using it here.
one put out a hand
"one of the babies put out his hand"
midwife
This is a person who helps a woman when she is giving birth to a child. See how you translated this in Genesis 35:17.
scarlet thread
"bright red thread"
on his hand
"around his wrist"
translationWords
womb
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 38:27-30 Judah’s line continued because of Tamar. The twins…
38:27-30 Judah’s line continued because of Tamar. The twins replaced Judah’s two slain sons (38:7, 10); their birth was similar to the birth of Jacob and Esau (25:21-26) in that the “red” one was born first, but the other son pushed past him in later life. Jacob’s gaining the right to rule over his older brother (27:29) seemed to be relived in Judah’s line. The line was carried on through Perez and not through the elder son Shelah, whom he had gone to such lengths to protect (38:11; see 1 Chr 4:21), nor through the elder twin Zerah (see Ruth 4:13-22; Matt 1:3).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.