Matthew Poole and continuators on Genesis 38:11

11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in Law, Remain a widow at thy fathers house , till Shelah my son be grown : (for he said , Le[illegible: 1+ letters]t peradventure he die also as his brethren did ) and Tamar went and dwelt in her fathers house.

Whither he sent her from his house, that Shelah might not be insnared by her presence and conversation.

So he dismisseth her with a pretence of kindness, and a tacit promise of marriage to her, which he never intended to keep, as the following words imply.

Or rather, but he said: for the Hebrew chi oft signifies but, as Gen. 45. 8. Psal. 37. 20. Eccl. 2. 10. and 6. 2. So here is an opposition between what he said to Tamar, and what he said to himself or in his own heart, as that word said is oft used: He intimated to her, that he would give Shelah to her, but he meant otherwise, and said in himself, I will not do it.

Imputing the death of his two sons either to her fault, or to her unluckiness, rather than to his own or his sons miscarriages.