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 away from his brethren, —and turned aside unto a certain Adullamite, 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 a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose, name, was Shua, —and he took her, and went in unto her;

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

and she conceived and bare 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 conceived again and bare 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 she, yet again, bare a son, and called his name Shelah, —and she, was at Chezib, when she bare 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 it came to pass that Er, Judah’s firstborn was displeasing in the eyes of Yahweh, —so Yahweh put him to death,

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 said Judah to Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and fulfil the duty of a brother-in-law unto her, —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.

And Onan knew that the seed would not be his, —and so although he did go in unto his brother’s wife, yet made he waste upon the ground, so as not to give seed to his brother.

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

And it was displeasing, in the eyes of Yahweh what he had done, —so he put, him also, to death,

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.

Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law—Remain a widow in the house of thy father until Shelah my son grow up. For he said, Lest, he also, die, like his brethren. So Tamar went her way, and remained in the house of her father.

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 when the days were multiplied, then died Shua’s daughter, Judah’s wife, —and Judah consoled himself and went up unto his sheep shearers, he and Hirah his friend the Adullamite, towards Timnah.

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, —Lo! thy father-in-law is going up towards Timnah, to the shearing of 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.

So she put off from her the garments of her widowhood and covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself up, and sat down in the entrance of, Enaim, which is by the way towards Timnah, —for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she, had not been given him to wife.

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

And Judah, seeing her, reckoned her to be an unchaste woman, —for 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?

So he turned aside unto her. by the way, and said Grant it! 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, if thou shouldst come in unto 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 a kid of the goats from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give 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 is the pledge that I shall give thee? And She said—Thy signet-ring, and thy guard, and thy staff that is in thy hand. So he gave them to her and came in unto her and she conceived by him.

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

Then she arose and went her way, and put off 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 at the hand of the woman, —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.

So he asked the men of her place saying. Where is the devotee, she that was in Enaim, by the way? And they said, —There hath been here no devotee.

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.

Then returned he unto Judah, and said—I found her not, —moreover also, the men of the place said, There hath been here no devotee.

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.

And Judah said: Thou must take it to her, lest we become a contempt, —lo! 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 that about three months after, it was told Judah, saying—Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath been guilty of unchastity, moreover also lo! she hath conceived by unchastity. Then said Judah, Bring her forth and let her be burnt.

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 about to be brought forth, then, she herself, sent unto her father-in-law saying, By the man to whom these belong, have I, conceived! And she said—Examine, I pray thee, to whom belong the signet-ring, and the guard, and the staff—these!

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.

So Judah examined them and said—More righteous than I! forasmuch, as I had 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 travail, that lo! 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 was in travail, that one put forth a hand, —so the midwife took and bound upon his hand a crimson thread, saying—This came 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 so it was that, no sooner had he withdrawn his hand, than lo! his brother had come. And she said, Wherefore hast thou made for thyself a breach? So his name was called Perez.

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

And afterwards, came his brother, on whose hand was the crimson thread, —so his name was called, Zerah.