< Genesis 38 >

1 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.
And it fortuned at that tyme that Iudas went from his brethren and gatt him to a man called Hira of Odollam
2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name [was] Shuah; and he took her, and went in to her.
and there he sawe the doughter of a man called Sua a Canaanyte. And he toke her ad went in vnto her.
3 And she conceived, and bore a son; and he called his name Er.
And she conceaued and bare a sonne and called his name Er.
4 And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she called his name Onan.
And she conceaued agayne and bare a sonne and called him Onan.
5 And she yet again conceived, and bore a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bore him.
And she conceaued the thyrde tyme and bare a sonne whom she called Scla: and he was at Chesyb when she bare hem.
6 And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, whose name [was] Tamar.
And Iudas gaue Er his eldest sonne a wife whose name was Thamar.
7 And Er, Judah's first-born, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
But this Er Iudas eldest sonne was wicked in the syghte of the LORde wherfore the LORde slewe him.
8 And Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
Than sayde Iudas vnto Onan: goo in to thi brothers wyfe and Marie her and styrre vp seed vnto thy brother.
9 And Onan knew that the seed would not be his: and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he frustrated the purpose, lest he should give seed to his brother.
And when Onan perceaued that the seed shulde not be his: therfore when he went in to his brothers wife he spylled it on the grounde because he wold not geue seed vnto his brother.
10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
And the thinge which he dyd displeased the LORde wherfore he slew him also.
11 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.
Than sayde Iudas to Thamar his doughter in lawe: remayne a wydow at thi fathers house tyll Sela my sonne be growne: for he feared lest he shulde haue dyed also as his brethren did. Thus went Thamar and dwelt in hir fathers house.
12 And in process of time, the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died: and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep-shearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
And in processe of tyme the doughter of Sua Iudas wife dyed. Than Iudas when he had left mornynge went vnto his shepe sherers to Thimnath with his frende Hira of Odollam.
13 And it was told to Tamar, saying, Behold, thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnath, to shear his sheep.
And one told Thamar saynge: beholde thy father in lawe goth vp to Thimnath to shere his shepe.
14 And she put off from her, her widow's garments, and covered her with a vail, 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.
And she put hyr wydows garmetes of from her and couered her with a clooke and disgyssed herself: And sat her downe at the entrynge of Enaim which is by the hye wayes syde to Thimnath for because she sawe that Sela was growne and she was not geue vnto him to wife.
15 When Judah saw her, he thought her [to be] a harlot; because she had covered her face.
When Iuda sawe her he thought it had bene an hoore because she had couered hyr face.
16 And he turned to her by the way, and said, Come, I pray thee, let me have access to thee; (for he knew not that she [was] his daughter-in-law: ) and she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayst have access to me?
And turned to her vnto the waye and sayde come I praye the let me lye with the for he knewe not that it was his doughter in lawe. And she sayde what wylt thou gyue me for to lye with me?
17 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]?
Tha sayde he I will sende the a kydd fro the flocke. She answered Than geue me a pledge till thou sende it.
18 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.
Than sayde he what pledge shall I geue the? And she sayde: they sygnett thy necke lace and thy staffe that is in thy hande. And he gaue it her and lay by her and she was with child by him.
19 And she arose and went her way and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
And she gatt her vp and went and put her mantell from her ad put on hir widowes rayment agayne.
20 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.
And Iudas sent the kydd by his neybure of Odollam for to fetch out his pledge agayne from the wifes hande. But he fownde her not.
21 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].
Than asked he the men of the same place saynge: where is the whoore that satt at Enaim in the waye? And they sayde: there was no whoore here.
22 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].
And he came to Iuda agayne saynge: I can not fynde her and also the men of the place sayde: that there was no whoore there.
23 And Judah said, Let her take [it] to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.
And Iuda sayde: let her take it to her lest we be shamed: for I sente the kydd and thou coudest not fynde her.
24 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 lewdness: and Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
And it came to passe that after. iij. monethes one tolde Iuda saynge: Thamar thy doughter in lawe hath played the whoore and with playnge the whoore is become great with childe. And Iuda sayde: brynge her forth ad let her be brente.
25 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.
And when they brought her forth she sent to her father in lawe saynge: by the ma vnto whome these thinges pertayne am I with childe. And sayd also: loke whose are this seall necklace and staffe.
26 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.
And Iuda knewe them saynge: she is more rightwes tha I because I gaue her not to Sela my sone. But he laye with her nomore.
27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that behold, twins [were] in her womb.
When tyme was come that she shulde be delyuered beholde there was. ij. twynnes in hyr wobe.
28 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.
And as she traveled the one put out his hande and the mydwife toke and bownde a reed threde aboute it saynge: this wyll come out fyrst.
29 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.
But he plucked his hande backe agayne and his brother came out. And she sayde: wherfore hast thou rent a rent vppon the? and called him Pharez.
30 And afterwards came out his brother that had the scarlet thread upon his hand; and his name was called Zarah.
And afterward came out his brother that had the reade threde about his hade which was called Zarah.

< Genesis 38 >