Genesis 38

1 At that time Juda went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Odollamite, named Hiras.

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

2 And he saw there the daughter of a man of Chanaan, called Sue: and taking her to wife, he went in unto her.

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

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

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

4 And conceiving again, she bore a son, and called him Onan.

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

5 She bore also a third: whom she called Sela. After whose birth, she ceased to bear any more.

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

6 And Juda took a wife for Her his firstborn, whose name was Thamar.

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

7 And Her, the firstborn of Juda, was wicked in the sight of the Lord: and was slain by him.

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

8 Juda, therefore said to Onan his son: Go in to thy brother’s wife and marry her, that thou mayst raise seed to thy brother.

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.

9 He knowing that the children should not be his, when he went in to his brother’s wife, spilled his seed upon the ground, lest children should be born in his brother’s name.

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.

10 And therefore the Lord slew him, because he did a detestable thing.

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

11 Wherefore Juda said to Thamar his daughter in law: Remain a widow in thy father’s house, till Sela my son grow up: for he was afraid lest he also might die, as his brethren did. She went her way and dwelt in her father’s house.

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.

12 And after many days were past, the daughter of Sue the wife of Juda died: and when he had taken comfort after his mourning, he went up to Thamnas, to the shearers of his sheep, he and Hiras the Odollamite the shepherd of his flock.

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.

13 And it was told Thamar that her father in law was come up to Thamnas to shear his sheep.

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

14 And she put off the garments of her widowhood, and took a veil: and changing her dress, sat in the cross way, that leadeth to Thamnas: because Sela was grown up, and she had not been married to him.

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.

15 When Juda saw her, he thought she was a harlot: for she had covered her face, lest she should be known.

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

16 And going to her, he said: Suffer me to lie with thee: for he knew her not to be his daughter in law. And she answered: What wilt thou give me to enjoy my company?

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?

17 He said: I will send thee a kid out of the flock. And when she said again: I will suffer what thou wilt, if thou give a pledge, till thou send what thou promisest,

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?

18 Juda said: What wilt thou have for a pledge? She answered: Thy ring and bracelet, and the staff which thou holdest in thy hand. The woman therefore at one copulation conceived.

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.

19 And she arose and went her way: and putting off the apparel which she had taken, put on the garments of her widowhood.

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

20 And Juda sent a kid by his shepherd, the Odollamite, that he might receive the pledge again, which he had given to the woman: but he, not finding her,

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.

21 Asked the men of that place: Where is the woman that sat in the cross way? And when they all made answer: There was no harlot in this place,

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.

22 He returned to Juda, and said to him: I have not found her; moreover the men of that place said to me, that there never sat a harlot there.

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.

23 Juda said: Let her take it to herself; surely she cannot charge us with a, lie: I sent the kid which I promised: and thou didst not find her.

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.

24 And behold after three months they told Juda, saying: Thamar, thy daughter in law hath played the harlot, and she appeareth to have a big belly. And Juda said: Bring her out that she may be burnt.

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.

25 But when she was led to execution, she sent to her father in law, saying: By the man, to whom these things belong, I am with child. See whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.

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?

26 But he acknowledging the gifts, said: She is juster than I: because I did not give her to Sela, my son. However, he knew her no more.

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.

27 And when she was ready to be brought to bed, there appeared twins in her womb: and in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, whereon the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying:

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

28 This shall come forth the first.

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.

29 But he drawing back his hand, the other came forth: and the woman said: Why is the partition divided for thee? and therefore called his name Phares.

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.

30 Afterwards his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread: and she called him Zara.

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