The Meaning of Genesis 38:25 Explained

Genesis 38:25

KJV: When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.

YLT: She is brought out, and she hath sent unto her husband's father, saying, 'To a man whose these are, I am pregnant;' and she saith, 'Discern, I pray thee, whose are these -- the seal, and the ribbons, and the staff.'

Darby: When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man to whom these belong am I with child; and she said, Acknowledge, I pray thee, whose are this signet, and this lace, and this staff.

ASV: When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and the cords, and the staff.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When she [was] brought forth,  she sent  to her father in law,  saying,  By the man,  whose these [are, am] I with child:  and she said,  Discern,  I pray thee, whose [are] these, the signet,  and bracelets,  and staff. 

What does Genesis 38:25 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Genesis 38:25 mean?

[when] she [was] brought out then she sent to her father-in-law saying by the man to whom these belong I [am] pregnant And she said determine please to whom [is] the signet and cord and staff these
הִ֣וא מוּצֵ֗את וְהִ֨יא שָׁלְחָ֤ה אֶל־ חָמִ֙יהָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁר־ אֵ֣לֶּה לּ֔וֹ אָנֹכִ֖י הָרָ֑ה וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַכֶּר־ נָ֔א לְמִ֞י הַחֹתֶ֧מֶת וְהַפְּתִילִ֛ים וְהַמַּטֶּ֖ה הָאֵֽלֶּה

הִ֣וא  [when]  she 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
מוּצֵ֗את  [was]  brought  out 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
וְהִ֨יא  then  she 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
שָׁלְחָ֤ה  sent 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
חָמִ֙יהָ֙  her  father-in-law 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: חָם  
Sense: father-in-law, husband’s father.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לְאִישׁ֙  by  the  man 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
אֲשֶׁר־  to  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אֵ֣לֶּה  these 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
לּ֔וֹ  belong 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
הָרָ֑ה  [am]  pregnant 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: הָרֶה 
Sense: pregnant.
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙  And  she  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַכֶּר־  determine 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: נָכַר 
Sense: to recognise, acknowledge, know, respect, discern, regard.
נָ֔א  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
לְמִ֞י  to  whom  [is] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
הַחֹתֶ֧מֶת  the  signet 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֹתֶמֶת  
Sense: signet ring, signet seal.
וְהַפְּתִילִ֛ים  and  cord 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: פָּתִיל  
Sense: cord, thread (twisted).
וְהַמַּטֶּ֖ה  and  staff 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
הָאֵֽלֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.