Genesis 38

1 Now at that time, Judah went away from his brothers and became the friend of a man of Adullam named Hirah.

And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and he pitched his tent with a certain Adullamite whose name was Chirah.

2 And there he saw the daughter of a certain man of Canaan named Shua, and took her as his wife.

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

3 And she gave birth to a son, and he gave him the name Er.

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

4 And again she gave birth to a son, and he gave him the name Onan.

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

5 Then she had another son, to whom she gave the name Shelah; she was at Chezib when the birth took place.

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

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

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

7 Now Er, Judah's first son, did evil in the eyes of the Lord, so that he put him to death.

And 'Er, Judah's first-born, was displeasing in the eyes of the Lord; and the Lord slew him.

8 Then Judah said to Onan, Go in to your brother's wife and do what it is right for a husband's brother to do; make her your wife and get offspring for your brother.

And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and take her, as her brother-in-law, and raise up seed to thy brother.

9 But Onan, seeing that the offspring would not be his, went in to his brother's wife, but let his seed go on to the earth, so that he might not get offspring for his brother.

Onan thus knew that the seed should not be his, and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, so as not to give seed unto his brother.

10 And what he did was evil in the eyes of the Lord, so that he put him to death, like his brother.

And the thing which he did was displeasing in the eyes of the Lord: wherefore he slew him also.

11 Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, Go back to your father's house and keep yourself as a widow till my son Shelah becomes a man: for he had in his mind the thought that death might come to him as it had come to his brothers. So Tamar went back to 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 be grown; for he thought, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brothers have done. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

12 And after a time, Bath-shua, Judah's wife, came to her end; and after Judah was comforted for her loss, he went to Timnah, where they were cutting the wool of his sheep, and his friend Hirah of Adullam went with him.

And many days had elapsed when the daughter of Shua, Judah's wife, died; and after Judah was comforted, he went up unto his sheep-shearers, he and his friend Chirah the Adullamite, to Timnah.

13 And when Tamar had news that her father-in-law was going up to Timnah to the wool-cutting,

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

14 She took off her widow's clothing, and covering herself with her veil, she took her seat near Enaim on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was now a man, but she had not been made his wife.

And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered herself with a vail, and concealed her face, and seated herself at the cross-road, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him for wife.

15 When Judah saw her he took her to be a loose woman of the town, because her face was covered.

And Judah saw her and thought her to be a harlot; because she had covered her face.

16 And turning to her by the roadside, he said to her, Let me come in to you; for he had no idea that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, What will you give me as my price?

And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; [for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law.] And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?

17 And he said, I will give you a young goat from the flock. And she said, What will you give me as a sign till you send it?

And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, If thou wilt give me a pledge, till thou send it.

18 And he said, What would you have? And she said, Your ring and its cord and the stick in your hand. So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she became with child by him.

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

19 Then she got up and went away and took off her veil and put on her widow's clothing.

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

20 Then Judah sent his friend Hirah with the young goat, to get back the things which he had given as a sign to the woman: but she was not there.

And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to take the pledge out of the woman's hand; but he found her not.

21 And he put questions to the men of the place, saying, Where is the loose woman who was in Enaim by the wayside? And they said, There was no such woman there.

Then he asked the men of her place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was at the cross-road on the highway? And they said, There hath been no harlot in this neighborhood.

22 So he went back to Judah, and said, I have not seen her, and the men of the place say that there is no such woman there.

And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place have said, There hath been no harlot in this place.

23 And Judah said, Let her keep the things, so that we may not be shamed; I sent the young goat, but you did not see the woman.

And Judah said, Let her keep it, lest we be put to shame; behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

24 Now about three months after this, word came to Judah that Tamar, his daughter-in-law, had been acting like a loose woman and was with child. And Judah said, Take 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 prostitution. And Judah said, Lead her forth, and let her be burnt.

25 And while she was being taken out, she sent word to her father-in-law, saying, The man whose property these things are, is the father of my child: say then, whose are this ring and this cord and this stick?

When she was led forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Acknowledge, I pray thee, to whom belong these, the signet, the scarf, and staff.

26 Then Judah said openly that they were his, and said, She is more upright than I am, for I did not give her to Shelah my son. And he had no more connection with her.

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 not again any more.

27 And when the time came for her to give birth, it was clear that there were two children in her body.

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

28 And while she was in the act of giving birth, one of them put out his hand; and the woman who was with her put a red thread round his hand, saying, This one 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 But then he took his hand back again, and his brother came first to birth: and the woman said, What an opening you have made for yourself! So he was named 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 is upon thee: therefore his name was called Perez.

30 And then his brother came out, with the red thread round his hand, and he was named Zerah.

And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zerach.