Genesis 38

1 At that time, Judah went down from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

And it fortuned at that tyme that Iudas went from his brethren and gatt him to a man called Hira of Odollam

2 There, Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite man named Shua. He took her, and went in to her.

and there he sawe the doughter of a man called Sua a Canaanyte. And he toke her ad went in vnto her.

3 She conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er.

And she conceaued and bare a sonne and called his name Er.

4 She conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan.

And she conceaued agayne and bare a sonne and called him Onan.

5 She yet again bore a son, and named him Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.

And she conceaued the thyrde tyme and bare a sonne whom she called Scla: and he was at Chesyb when she bare hem.

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

And Iudas gaue Er his eldest sonne a wife whose name was Thamar.

7 Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight. So the LORD killed him.

But this Er Iudas eldest sonne was wicked in the syghte of the LORde wherfore the LORde slewe him.

8 Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.”

Than sayde Iudas vnto Onan: goo in to thi brothers wyfe and Marie her and styrre vp seed vnto thy brother.

9 Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; and when he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother.

And when Onan perceaued that the seed shulde not be his: therfore when he went in to his brothers wife he spylled it on the grounde because he wold not geue seed vnto his brother.

10 The thing which he did was evil in the LORD’s sight, and he killed him also.

And the thinge which he dyd displeased the LORde wherfore he slew him also.

11 Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, until Shelah, my son, is grown up;” for he said, “Lest he also die, like his brothers.” Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

Than sayde Iudas to Thamar his doughter in lawe: remayne a wydow at thi fathers house tyll Sela my sonne be growne: for he feared lest he shulde haue dyed also as his brethren did. Thus went Thamar and dwelt in hir fathers house.

12 After many days, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah, the Adullamite.

And in processe of tyme the doughter of Sua Iudas wife dyed. Than Iudas when he had left mornynge went vnto his shepe sherers to Thimnath with his frende Hira of Odollam.

13 Tamar was told, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”

And one told Thamar saynge: beholde thy father in lawe goth vp to Thimnath to shere his shepe.

14 She took off the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she was not given to him as a wife.

And she put hyr wydows garmetes of from her and couered her with a clooke and disgyssed herself: And sat her downe at the entrynge of Enaim which is by the hye wayes syde to Thimnath for because she sawe that Sela was growne and she was not geue vnto him to wife.

15 When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.

When Iuda sawe her he thought it had bene an hoore because she had couered hyr face.

16 He turned to her by the way, and said, “Please come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?”

And turned to her vnto the waye and sayde come I praye the let me lye with the for he knewe not that it was his doughter in lawe. And she sayde what wylt thou gyue me for to lye with me?

17 He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” She said, “Will you give me a pledge, until you send it?”

Tha sayde he I will sende the a kydd fro the flocke. She answered Than geue me a pledge till thou sende it.

18 He said, “What pledge will I give you?” She said, “Your signet and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” He gave them to her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him.

Than sayde he what pledge shall I geue the? And she sayde: they sygnett thy necke lace and thy staffe that is in thy hande. And he gaue it her and lay by her and she was with child by him.

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

And she gatt her vp and went and put her mantell from her ad put on hir widowes rayment agayne.

20 Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend, the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her.

And Iudas sent the kydd by his neybure of Odollam for to fetch out his pledge agayne from the wifes hande. But he fownde her not.

21 Then he asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the prostitute, that was at Enaim by the road?” They said, “There has been no prostitute here.”

Than asked he the men of the same place saynge: where is the whoore that satt at Enaim in the waye? And they sayde: there was no whoore here.

22 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.’”

And he came to Iuda agayne saynge: I can not fynde her and also the men of the place sayde: that there was no whoore there.

23 Judah said, “Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this young goat, and you have not found her.”

And Iuda sayde: let her take it to her lest we be shamed: for I sente the kydd and thou coudest not fynde her.

24 About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute. Moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution.” Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.”

And it came to passe that after. iij. monethes one tolde Iuda saynge: Thamar thy doughter in lawe hath played the whoore and with playnge the whoore is become great with childe. And Iuda sayde: brynge her forth ad let her be brente.

25 When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man who owns these.” She also said, “Please discern whose these are—the signet, and the cords, and the staff.”

And when they brought her forth she sent to her father in lawe saynge: by the ma vnto whome these thinges pertayne am I with childe. And sayd also: loke whose are this seall necklace and staffe.

26 Judah acknowledged them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah, my son.” He knew her again no more.

And Iuda knewe them saynge: she is more rightwes tha I because I gaue her not to Sela my sone. But he laye with her nomore.

27 In the time of her travail, behold, twins were in her womb.

When tyme was come that she shulde be delyuered beholde there was. ij. twynnes in hyr wobe.

28 When she travailed, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This came out first.”

And as she traveled the one put out his hande and the mydwife toke and bownde a reed threde aboute it saynge: this wyll come out fyrst.

29 As he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out, and she said, “Why have you made a breach for yourself?” Therefore his name was called Perez.

But he plucked his hande backe agayne and his brother came out. And she sayde: wherfore hast thou rent a rent vppon the? and called him Pharez.

30 Afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

And afterward came out his brother that had the reade threde about his hade which was called Zarah.