Genesis 38

1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. And he took her, and went in to her.

3 And she conceived, and bore a son, and he called his name Er.

4 And she conceived again, and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.

5 And she yet again bore a son, and called his name Shelah. And he was at Chezib, when she bore him.

6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

7 And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah killed him.

8 And Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

9 And Onan knew that the seed would not be his. And it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother.

10 And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and he killed him also.

11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow in thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown up, for he said, Lest he also die, like his brothers. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

12 And in process of time Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died. And Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold, thy father-in-law goes up to Timnah to shear his sheep.

14 And she put the garments of her widowhood off from her, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is by the way to Timnah, for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she was not given to him to wife.

15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot, for she had covered her face.

16 And he turned to her by the way, and said, Come, I pray thee, let me come in to thee, for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, What will thou give me, that thou may come in to me?

17 And he said, I will send thee a kid of the goats from the flock. And she said, Will thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?

18 And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet and thy cord, and thy staff that is in thy hand. And he gave them to her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him.

19 And she arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

20 And Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman's hand, but he did not find her.

21 Then he asked the men of her place, saying, Where is the prostitute, who was at Enaim by the wayside? And they said, There has been no prostitute here.

22 And he returned to Judah, and said, I have not found her, and also the men of the place said, There has been no prostitute here.

23 And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be put to shame. Behold, I sent this kid, and thou have not found her.

24 And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law has played the harlot, and moreover, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.

25 When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man, whose these are, I am with child. And she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose these are, the signet, and the cords, and the staff.

26 And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.

28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that one put out a hand. And the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.

29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out. And she said, Why have thou made a breach for thyself? Therefore his name was called Perez.

30 And afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread upon his hand. And his name was called Zerah.