Genesis 38:17
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And he said, I will send you a kid from the flock. And she said, Will you give me a pledge, till you send it?
American King James Version (AKJV)
And he said, I will send you a kid from the flock. And she said, Will you give me a pledge, till you send it?
American Standard Version (ASV)
And he said, I will send thee a kid of the goats from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And he said, I will give you a young goat from the flock. And she said, What will you give me as a sign till you send it?
Webster's Revision
And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock: and she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou sendest it?
World English Bible
He said, "I will send you a young goat from the flock." She said, "Will you give me a pledge, until you send it?"
English Revised Version (ERV)
And he said, I will send thee a kid of the goats from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?
Clarke's Genesis 38:17 Bible Commentary
Wilt thou give me a pledge till thou send it? - The word ערבון erabon signifies an earnest of something promised, a part of the price agreed for between a buyer and seller, by giving and receiving of which the bargain was ratified; or a deposit, which was to be restored when the thing promised should be given. St. Paul uses the same word in Greek letters, αρῥαβων, 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:14. From the use of the term in this history we may at once see what the apostle means by the Holy Spirit being the Earnest, αρῥαβων, of the promised inheritance; viz., a security given in hand for the fulfillment of all God's promises relative to grace and eternal life. We may learn from this that eternal life will be given in the great day to all who can produce this erabon or pledge. He who has the earnest of the Spirit then in his heart shall not only be saved from death, but have that eternal life of which it is the pledge and the evidence. What the pledge given by Judah was, see on Genesis 38:25 (note).
Wesley's Genesis 38:17 Bible Commentary
38:17 A kid from the flock — A goodly price at which her chastity and honour were valued! Had the consideration been thousands of rams, and ten thousand rivers of oil, it had not been a valuable consideration. The favour of God, the purity of the soul, the peace of the conscience, and the hope of heaven: are too precious to be exposed to sale at any such rates. He lost his Jewels by the bargain: He sent the kid according to his promise, to redeem his pawn, but the supposed harlot could not be found. He sent it by his friend, (who was indeed his back-friend, because he was aiding and abetting in his evil deeds) the Adullamite; who came back without the pledge. 'Tis a good account, if it be but true, of any place that which they here gave, that there is no harlot in this place, for such sinners are the scandals and plagues of any place. Judah sits down content to lose his signet and his bracelets, and forbids his friend to make any farther enquiry.