Genesis 38

1 And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Judah goeth down from his brethren, and turneth aside unto a man, an Adullamite, whose name [is] Hirah;

It came about at that time that Judah left his brothers and stayed with a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

2 and Judah seeth there the daughter of a man, a Canaanite, whose name [is] Shuah, and taketh her, and goeth in unto her.

He met there a daughter of a Canaanite man whose name was Shua. He married her and slept with her.

3 And she conceiveth, and beareth a son, and he calleth his name Er;

She became pregnant and had a son. He was named Er.

4 and she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Onan;

She became pregnant again and had a son. She called his name Onan.

5 and she addeth again, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Shelah; and he was in Chezib in her bearing him.

She again had a son and called his name Shelah. It was at Kezib where she gave birth to him.

6 And Judah taketh a wife for Er, his first-born, and her name [is] Tamar;

Judah found a wife for Er, his firstborn. Her name was Tamar.

7 and Er, Judah's first-born, is evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and Jehovah doth put him to death.

Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yahweh. Yahweh killed him.

8 And Judah saith to Onan, 'Go in unto the wife of thy brother, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother;'

Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother's wife. Do the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up a child for your brother.”

9 and Onan knoweth that the seed is not [reckoned] his; and it hath come to pass, if he hath gone in unto his brother's wife, that he hath destroyed [it] to the earth, so as not to give seed to his brother;

Onan knew that the child would not be his. Whenever he slept with his brother's wife, he spilled the semen on the ground so he would not have a child for his brother.

10 and that which he hath done is evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and He putteth him also to death.

What he did was evil in the sight of Yahweh. Yahweh killed him also.

11 And Judah saith to Tamar his daughter-in-law, 'Abide a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son groweth up;' for he said, 'Lest he die — even he — like his brethren;' and Tamar goeth and dwelleth at her father's house.

Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father's house until Shelah, my son, grows up.” For he feared, “He might also die, just like his brothers.” Tamar left and lived in her father's house.

12 And the days are multiplied, and the daughter of Shuah, Judah's wife, dieth; and Judah is comforted, and goeth up unto his sheep-shearers, he and Hirah his friend the Adullamite, to Timnath.

After a long time, Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13 And it is declared to Tamar, saying, 'Lo, thy husband's father is going up to Timnath to shear his flock;'

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

14 and she turneth aside the garments of her widowhood from off her, and covereth herself with a vail, and wrappeth herself up, and sitteth in the opening of Enayim, which [is] by the way to Timnath, for she hath seen that Shelah hath grown up, and she hath not been given to him for a wife.

She took off the clothing of her widowhood and covered herself with her veil and wrapped herself. She sat in the gate of Enaim, which is by the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah had grown up but she had not been given to him as a wife.

15 And Judah seeth her, and reckoneth her for a harlot, for she hath covered her face,

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

16 and he turneth aside unto her by the way, and saith, 'Come, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee,' (for he hath not known that she [is] his daughter-in-law); and she saith, 'What dost thou give to me, that thou mayest come in unto me?'

He went to her by the road and said, “Come, please let me sleep with you”—for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law—and she said, “What will you give me so you can sleep with me?”

17 and he saith, 'I — I send a kid of the goats from the flock.' And she saith, 'Dost thou give a pledge till 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 saith, 'What [is] the pledge that I give to thee?' and she saith, 'Thy seal, and thy ribbon, and thy staff which [is] in thy hand;' and he giveth to her, and goeth in unto her, and she conceiveth to him;

He said, “What pledge can I give you?” She replied, “Your seal and cord, and the staff that is in your hand.” He gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him.

19 and she riseth, and goeth, and turneth aside her vail from off her, and putteth on the garments of her widowhood.

She got up and went away. She took off her veil and put on the clothing of her widowhood.

20 And Judah sendeth the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the hand of the woman, and he hath not found her.

Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order that he might receive the pledge back from the woman's hand, but he did not find her.

21 And he asketh the men of her place, saying, 'Where [is] the separated one — she in Enayim, by the way?' and they say, 'There hath not been in this [place] a separated one.'

Then the Adullamite asked the men of the place, “Where is the cultic prostitute who was at Enaim by the road?” They said, “There has not been a cultic prostitute here.”

22 And he turneth back unto Judah, and saith, 'I have not found her; and the men of the place also have said, There hath not been in this [place] a separated one,'

He returned to Judah and said, “I did not find her. Also, the men of the place said, 'There has not been a cultic prostitute here.'”

23 and Judah saith, 'Let her take to herself, lest we become despised; lo, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.'

Judah said, “Let her keep the things, that we not be put to shame. Indeed, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.”

24 And it cometh to pass about three months [after], that it is declared to Judah, saying, 'Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath committed fornication; and also, lo, she hath conceived by fornication:' and Judah saith, 'Bring her out — and she is burnt.'

It came about after about three months that it was told to Judah, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has committed prostitution, and indeed, she is pregnant by it.” Judah said, “Bring her here and let her be burned.”

25 She is brought out, and she hath sent unto her husband's father, saying, 'To a man whose these [are], I [am] pregnant;' and she saith, 'Discern, I pray thee, whose [are] these — the seal, and the ribbons, and the staff.'

When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law a message, “By the man who owns these I am pregnant.” She said, “Determine please whose these are, the seal and cords and staff.”

26 And Judah discerneth and saith, 'She hath been more righteous than I, because that I did not give her to Shelah my son;' and he hath not added to know her again.

Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I am, since I did not give her as a wife to Shelah, my son.” He did not sleep with her again.

27 And it cometh to pass in the time of her bearing, that lo, twins [are] in her womb;

It came about at the time for her to give birth that, behold, twins were in her womb.

28 and it cometh to pass in her bearing, that [one] giveth out a hand, and the midwife taketh and bindeth on his hand a scarlet thread, saying, 'This hath come out first.'

It came about as she was giving birth one put out a hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand and said, “This one came out first.”

29 And it cometh to pass as he draweth back his hand, that lo, his brother hath come out, and she saith, 'What! thou hast broken forth — on thee [is] the breach;' and he calleth his name Pharez;

But then he drew back his hand, and, behold, his brother came out first. The midwife said, “How you have broken out!” So he was named Perez.

30 and afterwards hath his brother come out, on whose hand [is] the scarlet thread, and he calleth his name Zarah.

Then his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread upon his hand, and he was named Zerah.