Genesis 38

1 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.

At that time, Judah went down from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose, name, was Shua, —and he took her, and went in unto her;

There, Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite man named Shua. He took her, and went in to her.

3 and she conceived and bare a son, —and he called his name Er.

She conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er.

4 And she conceived again and bare a son, —and she called his name Onan.

She conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan.

5 And she, yet again, bare a son, and called his name Shelah, —and she, was at Chezib, when she bare him.

She yet again bore a son, and named him Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.

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

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

7 And it came to pass that Er, Judah’s firstborn was displeasing in the eyes of Yahweh, —so Yahweh put him to death,

Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight. So the LORD killed him.

8 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.

Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.”

9 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.

Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; and when he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother.

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

The thing which he did was evil in the LORD’s sight, and he killed him also.

11 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.

Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, until Shelah, my son, is grown up;” for he said, “Lest he also die, like his brothers.” Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

12 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.

After many days, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah, the Adullamite.

13 And it was told Tamar saying, —Lo! thy father-in-law is going up towards Timnah, to the shearing of his sheep.

Tamar was told, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”

14 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.

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

15 And Judah, seeing her, reckoned her to be an unchaste woman, —for she had covered her face.

When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.

16 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?

He turned to her by the way, and said, “Please come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?”

17 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?

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 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.

He said, “What pledge will I give you?” She said, “Your signet and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” He gave them to her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him.

19 Then she arose and went her way, and put off her veil from her, —and put on the garments of her widowhood.

She arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

20 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.

Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend, the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her.

21 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.

Then he asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the prostitute, that was at Enaim by the road?” They said, “There has been no prostitute here.”

22 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.

He returned to Judah, and said, “I have not found her; and also the men of the place said, ‘There has been no prostitute here.’”

23 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.

Judah said, “Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this young goat, and you have not found her.”

24 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.

About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute. Moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution.” Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.”

25 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!

When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man who owns these.” She also said, “Please discern whose these are—the signet, and the cords, and the staff.”

26 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.

Judah acknowledged them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah, my son.” He knew her again no more.

27 And, it came to pass at the time of her travail, that lo! twins, were in her womb.

In the time of her travail, behold, twins were in her womb.

28 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!

When she travailed, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This came out first.”

29 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.

As he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out, and she said, “Why have you made a breach for yourself?” Therefore his name was called Perez.

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

Afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.