Genesis 38

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

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

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

And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name [was] Shuah; and he took her, and went in to her.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, whose name [was] Tamar.

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

And Er, Judah's first-born, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew 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.”

And Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to 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 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 frustrated the purpose, lest he should give seed to his brother.

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

And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore 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.

Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son shall be grown; (for he said, Lest perhaps he die also as his brethren [did]: ) and Tamar went and dwelt in her father's 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 process of time, the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died: and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep-shearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

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

And it was told to Tamar, saying, Behold, thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnath, to shear his sheep.

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 off from her, her widow's garments, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which [is] by the way to Timnath: for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him for a wife.

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

When Judah saw her, he thought her [to be] a harlot; because she had covered her 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 he turned to her by the way, and said, Come, I pray thee, let me have access to thee; (for he knew not that she [was] his daughter-in-law: ) and she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayst have access to 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?”

And he said, I will send [thee] a kid from the flock: and she said, Wilt thou give [me] a pledge, till thou sendest [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.

And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? and she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, 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 She arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

And she arose and went her way and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

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 Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive [his] pledge from the woman's hand: but he found 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.”

Then he asked the men of that place, saying, where [is] the harlot that [was] openly by the way-side? and they said, There was no harlot in this [place].

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 returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, [that] there was no harlot in this [place].

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

And Judah said, Let her take [it] to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found 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 pass about three months after, that it was told to Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath played the harlot; and also, behold she [is] with child by lewdness: and Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.

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.”

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

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 Judah acknowledged [them], and said She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son: and he knew her again no more.

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

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

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

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.

And it came to pass as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out; and she said, How hast thou broken forth? [this] breach [be] upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.

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

And afterwards came out his brother that had the scarlet thread upon his hand; and his name was called Zarah.