It appears that in very ancient times there were public persons of this description; and they generally veiled themselves, sat in public places by the highway side, and received certain hire. Though adultery was reputed a very flagrant crime, yet this public prostitution was not; for persons whose characters were on the whole morally good had connections with them. But what could be expected from an age in which there was no written Divine revelation, and consequently the bounds of right and wrong were not sufficiently ascertained? This defect was supplied in a considerable measure by the law and the prophets, and now completely by the Gospel of Christ.

Matthew Henry Commentary

--This chapter gives an account of Judah and his family, and such a account it is, that it seems a wonder that of all Jacob's sons, ou Lord should spring out of Judah, Heb 7:14. But God will show that his choice is of grace and not of merit, and that Christ came into the world to save sinners, even the chief. Also, that the worthiness of Christ is of himself, and not from his ancestors. How little reason ha the Jews, who were so called from this Judah, to boast as they did, Jo 8:41. What awful examples the Lord proclaims in his punishments, of his utter displeasure at sin! Let us seek grace from God to avoid ever appearance of sin. And let that state of humbleness to which Jesu submitted, when he came to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, in appointing such characters as those here recorded, to be his ancestors endear the Redeemer to our hearts __________________________________________________________________

Original Hebrew