The Meaning of Genesis 38:1 Explained

Genesis 38:1

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.

YLT: And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Judah goeth down from his brethren, and turneth aside unto a man, an Adullamite, whose name is Hirah;

Darby: And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a man of Adullam whose name was Hirah.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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?

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 38:1 mean?

And it came to pass at time that departed Judah from his brothers and settled near a certain Adullamite and his name [was] Hirah
וַֽיְהִי֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא וַיֵּ֥רֶד יְהוּדָ֖ה מֵאֵ֣ת אֶחָ֑יו וַיֵּ֛ט עַד־ אִ֥ישׁ עֲדֻלָּמִ֖י וּשְׁמ֥וֹ חִירָֽה

וַֽיְהִי֙  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בָּעֵ֣ת  at  time 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
הַהִ֔וא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
וַיֵּ֥רֶד  departed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
יְהוּדָ֖ה  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
אֶחָ֑יו  his  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
וַיֵּ֛ט  and  settled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָטָה 
Sense: to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow.
עַד־  near 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
אִ֥ישׁ  a  certain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
עֲדֻלָּמִ֖י  Adullamite 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֲדֻלָּמִי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Adullam.
וּשְׁמ֥וֹ  and  his  name  [was] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
חִירָֽה  Hirah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִירָה  
Sense: an Adullamite, the friend of Judah.