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 brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

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 Shuah; and he took her, and went in to 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 yet again conceived, and bore a son; and 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 firstborn, 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 firstborn, was wicked in the sight 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 to Onan, Go in to thy brother’s wife, and marry her, 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.

And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he wasted it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother.

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

And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: therefore 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 shall be grown: for he said, Lest perhaps he die also, as his brethren did. 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 in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

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 to Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath 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 off from her, her widow’s garments, and covered her with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him for a 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)].

When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an 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 to her by the way, and said, Come, I pray thee, let me come in to 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 to 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, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou sendest 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 pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thy hand. And he gave them to her, and came in to 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 her way, and laid by her veil 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 receive his pledge from 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 that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.

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 said, that there was 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 take it to her, lest we be shamed: 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 harlotry. And Judah said, Bring 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 brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, 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 again no 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 in 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 be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.

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 afterwards came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.