Genesis 38

1 And at that time Iudah went downe from his brethren, and turned in to a man called Hirah an Adullamite.

And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a man of Adullam whose name was Hirah.

2 And Iudah sawe there the daughter of a man called Suah a Canaanite: and he tooke her to wife, and went in vnto her.

And Judah saw there the daughter of a Canaanitish man whose name was Shua; and he took her, and went in to her.

3 So she conceiued and bare a sonne, and he called his name Er.

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

4 And she conceiued againe, and bare a sonne, and she called his name Onan.

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

5 Moreouer she bare yet a sonne, whome she called Shelah: and Iudah was at Chezib when she bare him.

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

6 Then Iudah tooke a wife to Er his first borne sonne whose name was Tamar.

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

7 Now Er the first borne of Iudah was wicked in the sight of the Lord: therefore the Lord slewe him.

And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah slew him.

8 Then Iudah said to Onan, Goe in vnto thy brothers wife, and do the office of a kinsman vnto her, and raise vp seede vnto thy brother.

Then Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and fulfil to her the brother-in-law's duty, and raise up seed to thy brother.

9 And Onan knewe that the seede should not be his: therefore when he went in vnto his brothers wife, he spilled it on the grounde, least he should giue seede vnto his brother.

But when Onan knew that the seed should not be his own, it came to pass when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled [it] on the ground, in order to give no seed to his brother.

10 And it was wicked in the eyes of the Lord, which he did: wherefore he slewe him also.

And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and he slew him also.

11 Then said Iudah to Tamar his daughter in lawe, Remaine a widowe in thy fathers house, till Shelah my sonne growe vp (for he thought thus, Least he die as well as his brethren.) So Tamar went and dwelt in her fathers house.

And Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow in thy father's house, until Shelah my son is grown; for he said, Lest he die also, as his brethren. And Tamar went and remained in her father's house.

12 And in processe of time also the daughter of Shuah Iudahs wife dyed. Then Iudah, when he had left mourning, went vp to his sheepe sherers to Timnah, he, and his neighbour Hirah the Adullamite.

And as the days were multiplied, Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. And Judah was comforted, and he went up to his sheep-shearers, to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13 And it was tolde Tamar, saying, beholde, thy father in lawe goeth vp to Timnah, to shere his sheepe.

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

14 Then she put her widowes garments off from her, and couered her with a vaile, and wrapped her selfe, and sate downe in Pethah-enaim, which is by the way to Timnah, because she sawe that Shelah was growen, and she was not giuen vnto him to wife.

And she put the garments of her widowhood off from her, and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the entry of Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as wife.

15 When Iudah sawe her, he iudged her an whore: for she had couered her face.

And Judah saw her, and took her for a harlot; because she had covered her face.

16 And he turned to the way towardes her, and saide, Come, I pray thee, let me lie with thee. (for he knewe not that she was his daughter in lawe) And she answered, What wilt thou giue me for to lie with me?

And he turned aside to her by the way, and said, Come, I pray thee, let me go in to thee; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in to me?

17 Then said he, I will sende thee a kid of the goates from the flocke. and she said, Well, if thou wilt giue me a pledge, till thou sende it.

And he said, I will send [thee] a kid of the goats from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give [me] a pledge, until thou send it?

18 Then he saide, What is the pledge that I shall giue thee? And she answered, Thy signet, and thy cloke, and thy staffe that is in thine hande. So he gaue it her, and lay by her, and she was with childe by him.

And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy lace, and thy staff which is in thy hand. And he gave [it] her, and went in to her; and she conceived by him.

19 Then she rose, and went and put her vaile from her and put on her widowes raiment.

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

20 Afterwarde Iudah sent a kid of the goates by the hande of his neighbour the Adullamite, for to receiue his pledge from the womans hand: but he found her not.

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

21 Then asked he the men of that place, saying, Where is ye whore, that sate in Enaim by the way side? And they answered, There was no whore here.

And he asked the men of her place, saying, Where is the prostitute that was at Enaim, by the way-side? And they said, There was no prostitute here.

22 He came therefore to Iudah againe, and said, I can not finde her, and also the men of the place said, There was no whore there.

And he returned to Judah, and said, I have not found her; and also the men of the place said, No prostitute has been here.

23 Then Iudah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: beholde, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

Then Judah said, Let her take [it] for herself, lest we be put to shame. Behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

24 Now after three moneths, one tolde Iudah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the whore, and lo, with playing the whore, she is great with childe. Then Iudah saide, Bring ye her foorth and let her be burnt.

And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law has committed fornication, and behold, she is also with child by fornication. And Judah said, Bring her forth, that she may be burned.

25 When she was brought foorth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, vnto whom these things pertaine, am I with childe: and saide also, Looke, I pray thee, whose these are, the seale, and the cloke, and the staffe.

When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man to whom these [belong] am I with child; and she said, Acknowledge, I pray thee, whose are this signet, and this lace, and this staff.

26 Then Iudah knewe them, and said, She is more righteous then I: for she hath done it because I gaue her not to Shelah my sonne. So he lay with her no more.

And Judah acknowledged [them], and said, She is more righteous than I, because I have not given her to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

27 Now, when the time was come that she should be deliuered, beholde, there were twinnes in her wombe.

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

28 And when she was in trauell, the one put out his hand: and the midwife tooke and bound a red threde about his hand, saying, This is come out first.

And it came to pass when she brought forth, that one stretched out [his] hand, and the midwife took it and bound round his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.

29 But when he plucked his hand backe againe, loe, his brother came out, and the midwife said, How hast thou broken the breach vpon thee? and his name was called Pharez.

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! on thee be the breach! And they called his name Pherez.

30 And afterward came out his brother that had the red threde about his hande, and his name was called Zarah.

And afterwards came out his brother, round whose hand was the scarlet thread; and they called his name Zerah.