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.