Genesis 38

1 And it came to pass at that time that Judas went down from his brethren, and came as far as to a certain man of Odollam, whose name was Iras.

About the same time, Judah, descending from his brothers, turned toward an Adullamite man, named Hirah.

2 And Judas saw there the daughter of a Chananitish man, whose name was Sava; and he took her, and went in to her.

And he saw there the daughter of a man called Shua, of Canaan. And taking her as a wife, he entered to her.

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

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

4 And she conceived and bore a son again; and called his name, Aunan.

And conceiving offspring again, having given birth to a son, she called him Onan.

5 And she again bore a son; and called his name, Selom: and she was in Chasbi when she bore them.

Likewise, she bore a third, whom she called Shelah, after whose birth, she ceased to bear any more.

6 And Judas took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Thamar.

Then Judah gave a wife to his first born Er, whose name was Tamar.

7 And Er, the firstborn of Judas, was wicked before the Lord; and God killed him.

And it also happened that Er, the first born of Judah, was wicked in the sight of the Lord and was killed by him.

8 And Judas said to Aunan, Go in to your brother's wife, and marry her as her brother-in-law, and raise up seed to your brother.

Therefore, Judah said to his son Onan: “Enter to the wife of your brother, and associate with her, so that you may raise offspring to your brother.”

9 And Aunan, knowing that the seed should not be his—it came to pass when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled [it] upon the ground, so that he should not give seed to his brother's wife.

He, knowing that the sons to be born would not be his, when he entered to the wife of his brother, he spilled his seed on the ground, lest children should be born in his brother’s name.

10 And his doing this appeared evil before God; and he killed him also.

And for this reason, the Lord struck him down, because he did a detestable thing.

11 And Judas said to Thamar, his daughter-in-law, Sit you a widow in the house of your father-in-law, until Selom my son be grown; for he said, lest he also die as his brethren; and Thamar departed, and sat in the house of her father.

Because of this matter, Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Be a widow in your father’s house, until my son Shelah grows up.” For he was afraid, lest he also might die, just as his brothers did. She went away, and she lived in her father’s house.

12 And the days were fulfilled, and Sava the wife of Judas died; and Judas, being comforted, went to them that sheared his sheep, himself and Iras his Shepherd the Odollamite, to Thamna.

Then, after many days had passed, the daughter of Shua, the wife of Judah, died. And when he accepted consolation after his mourning, he went up to the shearers of his sheep at Timnah, he and Hirah, the herdsman of the Adullamite flock.

13 And it was told Thamar his daughter-in-law, saying, Behold, your father-in-law goes up to Thamna, to shear his sheep.

And it was reported to Tamar that her father-in-law had gone up to Timnah to shear the sheep.

14 And having taken off the garments of her widowhood from her, she put on a veil, and ornamented her face, and sat by the gates of Aenan, which is in the way to Thamna, for she saw that Selom was grown; but he gave her not to him for a wife.

And storing away the garments of her widowhood, she took up a veil. And changing her clothing, she sat at the crossroad that leads to Timnah, because Shelah had grown up, and she had not received him as a husband.

15 And when Judas saw her, he thought her to be a harlot; for she covered her face, and he knew her not.

And when Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot. For she had covered her face, lest she be recognized.

16 And he went out of his way to her, and said to her, Let me come in to you; for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law; and she said, What will you give me if you should come in to me?

And entering to her, he said, “Permit me to join with you.” For he did not know her to be his daughter-in-law. And she responded, “What will you give to me, to enjoy me as a concubine?”

17 And he said, I will send you a kid of the goats from my flock; and she said, [Well], if you will give me an earnest, until you send it.

He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And again, she said, “I will allow what you want, if you give me a pledge, until you may send what you promise.”

18 And he said, What is the earnest that I shall give you? and she said, Your ring, and your bracelet, and the staff in your hand; and he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him.

Judah said, “What do you want to be given for a pledge?” She responded, “Your ring and bracelet, and the staff that you hold in your hand.” Thereupon, the woman, from one sexual encounter, conceived.

19 And she arose and departed, and took her veil from off her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

And she arose and went away. And storing away the garments that she had taken up, she was clothed in the garments of her widowhood.

20 And Judas sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his shepherd the Odollamite, to receive the pledge from the woman; and he found her not.

Then Judah sent a young goat by his shepherd, the Adullamite, so that he might receive the pledge that he had given to the woman. But, when he had not found her,

21 And he asked the men of the place, Where is the harlot who was in Aenan by the wayside? and they said, There was no harlot here.

he questioned the men of that place: “Where is the woman who sat at the crossroad?” And they all responded, “There has been no harlot in this place.”

22 And he returned to Judas, and said, I have not found her; and the men of the place say, There is no harlot here.

He returned to Judah, and he said to him: “I did not find her. Moreover, the men of that place told me that a prostitute had never sat there.”

23 And Judas said, Let her have them, but let us not be ridiculed; I sent this kid, but you have not found her.

Judah said: “Let her hold herself to blame. Certainly, she is not able to accuse us of a lie. I sent the young goat that I had promised, and you did not find her.”

24 And it came to pass after three months, that it was told Judas, saying, Thamar your daughter-in-law has grievously played the harlot, and behold she is with child by whoredom; and Judas said, Bring her out, and let her be burnt.

And behold, after three months, they reported to Judah, saying, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has committed fornication and her abdomen appears to be enlarged.” And Judah said, “Produce her, so that she may be burned.”

25 And as they were bringing her, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, I am with child by the man whose these things are; and she said, See whose is this ring and bracelet and staff.

But when she was led out to the punishment, she sent to her father-in-law, saying: “I conceived by the man to whom these things belong. Recognize whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.”

26 And Judas knew [them], and said, Thamar is cleared rather than I, forasmuch as I gave her not to Selom my son: and he knew her not again.

But he, acknowledging the gifts, said: “She is more just than I am. For I did not deliver her to my son Shelah.” However, he knew her no more.

27 And it came to pass when she was in labor, that she also had twins in her womb.

Then, at the moment of birth, there appeared twins in the womb. And so, in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, on which the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying,

28 And it came to pass as she was bringing forth, one thrust forth his hand, and the midwife having taken hold of it, bound upon his hand a scarlet [thread], saying, This one shall come out first.

“This one will go out first.”

29 And when he drew back his hand, then immediately came forth his brother; and she said, Why has the barrier been cut through because of you? and she called his name, Phares.

But in truth, drawing back his hand, the other came out. And the woman said, “Why is the partition divided for you?” And for this reason, she called his name Perez.

30 And after this came forth his brother, on whose hand was the scarlet thread; and she called his name, Zara.

After this, his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread. And she called him Zerah.