Genesis 38

1 At that time, Judah left his older and younger brothers and went down from the hilly area and stayed with a man whose name was Hiram, who lived in Adullam [town].

And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and he pitched his tent with a certain Adullamite whose name was Chirah.

2 There he (met/became acquainted with) a woman who was the daughter of a man from Canaan named Shua. He married her. He had sex [EUP] with 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 and she became pregnant and later gave birth to a son, whom he named Er.

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

4 Later she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son whom she named Onan.

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

5 Many years later, when Judah and his family went to live in Kezib [town], Judah’s wife gave birth to another son, whom she named Shelah.

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

6 When Judah’s oldest son Er [grew up], Judah got a wife for him, a woman named Tamar.

And Judah took a wife for 'Er his first-born, whose name was Tamar.

7 But Er did something that Yahweh considered to be very wicked, so Yahweh caused him to die.

And 'Er, Judah's first-born, was displeasing in the eyes of the Lord; and the Lord slew him.

8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Your older brother died without having any sons. So marry his widow and have sex [EUP] with her. That is what our customs require that you should do.”

And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and take her, as her brother-in-law, and raise up seed to thy brother.

9 But Onan knew if he did that, any children who would be born would not be considered to be his. So every time he had sex [EUP] with his brother’s widow, he spilled his semen on the ground, so that she would not get pregnant and produce children for his older brother.

Onan thus knew that the seed should not be his, and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, so as not to give seed unto his brother.

10 Yahweh considered that what he did was wicked, so he caused him to die also.

And the thing which he did was displeasing in the eyes of the Lord: wherefore he slew him also.

11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Return to your father’s house, but do not marry anyone else. When my youngest son Shelah grows up, [he can marry you].” But Judah [really did not want Shelah to marry her, because] he was afraid that then Shelah would die too, just as his older brothers had died. So Tamar [obeyed Judah and] went back to live in her father’s house again.

Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown; for he thought, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brothers have done. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

12 Several years later, Judah’s wife, who was the daughter of Shua, died. When the time of mourning for her was finished, Judah decided to go up to Timnah, to the place where his (men were shearing his sheep/sheep were being sheared) His friend Hiram, from Adullam, went with him.

And many days had elapsed when the daughter of Shua, Judah's wife, died; and after Judah was comforted, he went up unto his sheep-shearers, he and his friend Chirah the Adullamite, to Timnah.

13 Someone said to Tamar, “Your father-in-law is going to [the fields near the city of] Timnah to help the men who are shearing his sheep.”

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

14 [She realized that now Shelah was grown up, but Judah had not given her to him to be his wife. So] she took off her widow’s clothes, and covered her head with a veil, so that people would not (recognize her/know who she was). Then she sat down at the entrance to Enaim [town], which is on the road to Timnah.

And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered herself with a vail, and concealed her face, and seated herself at the cross-road, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him for wife.

15 When Judah came along and saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, because she had covered her head [like prostitutes often did] (OR, [and sat where prostitutes often sat)].

And Judah saw her and thought her to be a harlot; because she had covered her face.

16 Judah did not realize that she was his daughter-in-law. So he said to her, “Hey, let me have sex [EUP] with you!” She replied, “What will you give me for allowing you to have sex [EUP] with me?”

And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, 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, that thou mayest come in unto me?

17 He replied, “I will send you a young goat from my flock of goats.” She asked, “Will you give me something now for me to keep until you send the goat?”

And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, If thou wilt give me a pledge, till thou send it.

18 He replied, “What do you want me to give to you?” She replied, “Give me the ring that has your name on it that is tied by a cord around your neck, and give me the walking stick that you are holding in your hand.” So he gave them to her. Then he had sex [EUP] with her, and she became pregnant.

And he said, What is the pledge which I shall give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy scarf, and thy staff that is in thy hand. And he gave them unto her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.

19 After she left, she took off the veil and put her widow’s clothes on again.

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

20 Judah gave a young goat to his friend from Adullam, for him to take back to the woman, as he had promised. But his friend could not find the woman.

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

21 So he asked the men who lived there, “Where is the prostitute who was sitting by the road at Enaim?” They replied, “There has never been a prostitute here!”

Then he asked the men of her place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was at the cross-road on the highway? And they said, There hath been no harlot in this neighborhood.

22 So he went back to Judah and said, “I did not find her. [Furthermore], the men who live in that town said, ‘There has never been a prostitute here.’”

And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place have said, There hath been no harlot in this place.

23 Judah said, “She can keep the things that I gave to her. If we continued to search for her, people would ridicule us. I tried to send this young goat to her, but you could not find her to give it to her.”

And Judah said, Let her keep it, lest we be put to shame; behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

24 About three months later, someone told Judah, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has become a prostitute and now she is pregnant!” Judah said, “Drag her outside of the city and kill her by burning her!”

And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told to Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by prostitution. And Judah said, Lead her forth, and let her be burnt.

25 But as they were taking her outside of the city, she gave the ring and walking stick to someone, and told him to take them to Judah, and say to him, “The man who owns these things is the one who caused me to become pregnant.” She also said to tell him, “Look at this ring, and the cord that is attached to it, and this walking stick. Whose are they?”

When she was led forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Acknowledge, I pray thee, to whom belong these, the signet, the scarf, and staff.

26 When the man did that, Judah recognized the ring and the stick. He said, “She is more righteous than I am. I did not tell my son Shelah to marry her, as I promised that I would.” And Judah did not have sex [EUP] with her again.

And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her not again any more.

27 When it was time for her to give birth, [she was surprised that] there were twin boys in her womb.

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

28 As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand. So the midwife fastened a scarlet thread around his wrist, saying, “This one came out first.”

And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.

29 But he pulled his hand back inside the womb, and his brother came out first. So she said, “So this is how you break your way out first!” So she named him Perez, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘breaking out].’

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! this breach is upon thee: therefore his name was called Perez.

30 Then his younger brother, the one who had the scarlet thread around his wrist, came out. And he was named Zerah, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘redness of dawn].’

And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zerach.