Genesis 38

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Than sayde Iudas vnto Onan: goo in to thi brothers wyfe and Marie her and styrre vp seed vnto 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 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 And therefore the Lord slew him, because he did a detestable thing.

And the thinge which he dyd displeased the LORde wherfore 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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 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,

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

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

28 This shall come forth the 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 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 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 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 reade threde about his hade which was called Zarah.