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.
It came about at that time that Judah left his brothers and stayed with a certain Adullamite, whose name was 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.
He met there a daughter of a Canaanite man whose name was Shua. He married her and slept with her.
3 And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name, Er.
She became pregnant and had a son. He was named Er.
4 And she conceived and bore a son again; and called his name, Aunan.
She became pregnant again and had a son. She called his name Onan.
5 And she again bore a son; and called his name, Selom: and she was in Chasbi when she bore them.
She again had a son and called his name Shelah. It was at Kezib where she gave birth to him.
6 And Judas took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Thamar.
Judah found a wife for Er, his firstborn. Her name was Tamar.
7 And Er, the firstborn of Judas, was wicked before the Lord; and God killed him.
Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yahweh. Yahweh killed 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.
Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother's wife. Do the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up a child for 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.
Onan knew that the child would not be his. Whenever he slept with his brother's wife, he spilled the semen on the ground so he would not have a child for his brother.
10 And his doing this appeared evil before God; and he killed him also.
What he did was evil in the sight of Yahweh. Yahweh killed him also.
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.
Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father's house until Shelah, my son, grows up.” For he feared, “He might also die, just like his brothers.” Tamar left and 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.
After a long time, Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
13 And it was told Thamar his daughter-in-law, saying, Behold, your father-in-law goes up to Thamna, to shear his sheep.
Tamar was told, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his 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.
She took off the clothing of her widowhood and covered herself with her veil and wrapped herself. She sat in the gate of Enaim, which is by the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah had grown up but she had not been given to him as a wife.
15 And when Judas saw her, he thought her to be a harlot; for she covered her face, and he knew her not.
When Judah saw her he thought that she was a prostitute because she had covered her face.
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?
He went to her by the road and said, “Come, please let me sleep with you”—for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law—and she said, “What will you give me so you can sleep with me?”
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.” She said, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?”
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.
He said, “What pledge can I give you?” She replied, “Your seal and cord, and the staff that is in your hand.” He gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him.
19 And she arose and departed, and took her veil from off her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
She got up and went away. She took off her veil and put on the clothing 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.
Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order that he might receive the pledge back from the woman's hand, but he did not find 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.
Then the Adullamite asked the men of the place, “Where is the cultic prostitute who was at Enaim by the road?” They said, “There has not been a cultic prostitute here.”
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 said, “I did not find her. Also, the men of the place said, 'There has not been a cultic prostitute here.'”
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 keep the things, that we not be put to shame. Indeed, I sent this young goat, but 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.
It came about after about three months that it was told to Judah, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has committed prostitution, and indeed, she is pregnant by it.” Judah said, “Bring her here and let her 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.
When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law a message, “By the man who owns these I am pregnant.” She said, “Determine please whose these are, the seal and cords and staff.”
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.
Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I am, since I did not give her as a wife to Shelah, my son.” He did not sleep with her again.
27 And it came to pass when she was in labor, that she also had twins in her womb.
It came about at the time for her to give birth that, behold, twins were in her womb.
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.
It came about as she was giving birth one put out a hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand and said, “This one came 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 then he drew back his hand, and, behold, his brother came out first. The midwife said, “How you have broken out!” So he was named Perez.
30 And after this came forth his brother, on whose hand was the scarlet thread; and she called his name, Zara.
Then his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread upon his hand, and he was named Zerah.
