Genesis 38

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.

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

And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him.

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.

And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy 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.

And Onan 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, lest that he should give seed to his brother.

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

And the thing which he did displeased the Lord: wherefore he slew him also.

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 said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in 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 in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

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

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

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.

And she put her widow’s garments off from her, 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 unto him to 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 thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.

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 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 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 send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou 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 pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived 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.

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

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,

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 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,

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 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.

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 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 take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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

28 This shall come forth the 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 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.

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

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