Genesis 38

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

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.

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

And Judas saw there the daughter of a Chananitish man, whose name was Sava; and he took her, and went in to her.

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

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

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

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

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

And she again bore a son; and called his name, Selom: and she was in Chasbi when she bore them.

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

And Judas took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Thamar.

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

And Er, the firstborn of Judas, was wicked before the Lord; and God killed him.

8 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.”

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.

9 Onan knew that the offspring wouldn’t 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.

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.

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

And his doing this appeared evil before God; and he killed him also.

11 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.

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.

12 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.

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.

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

And it was told Thamar his daughter-in-law, saying, Behold, your father-in-law goes up to Thamna, to shear his sheep.

14 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 wasn’t given to him as a wife.

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.

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

And when Judas saw her, he thought her to be a harlot; for she covered her face, and he knew her not.

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

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?

17 He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” She said, “Will you give me a pledge, until you send it?”

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.

18 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.

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.

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

And she arose and departed, and took her veil from off her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

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

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.

21 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.”

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.

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

And he returned to Judas, and said, I have not found her; and the men of the place say, There is no harlot here.

23 Judah said, “Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this young goat, and you haven’t found her.”

And Judas said, Let her have them, but let us not be ridiculed; I sent this kid, but you have not found her.

24 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 burnt.”

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.

25 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.”

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.

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

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.

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

And it came to pass when she was in labour, that she also had twins in her womb.

28 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.”

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.

29 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.

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.

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

And after this came forth his brother, on whose hand was the scarlet thread; and she called his name, Zara.