Tamar has returned to live in her father’s house and remains a childless widow, a status of pity and misery for her. Verse 12 begins a new development in the story, in which Tamar takes the initiative to solve the conflict created by failure to have children for her dead husband.

In course of time is literally “And the days were many,” which we may render “Some time had passed,” “After some time,” or “Some time later.” Since we know from verse 14 that Shelah is now old enough to marry Tamar, we may also translate “Some years later” or “After some years had passed.”

The wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died: this woman is identified as Judah’s wife and the daughter of Shua. Since she was identified as the daughter of Shua in verse 2, Good News Translation does not repeat this. Most modern versions keep it.

When Judah was comforted: for comforted following a death see 37.35. We may translate, for example, “when his time of mourning had finished.”

Went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers: Timnah is about 7 kilometers (4 miles) northeast of Adullam (see the map, page 19). Judah went to Timnah for the shearing of his sheep, that is, the cutting of the wool from the sheep. For a similar reference regarding Laban, see 31.19.

For Hirah the Adullamite see verse 1.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .