Genesis 38

1 Eodem tempore descendens Iudas a fratribus suis, divertit ad virum Odollamitem, nomine Hiram.

And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

2 Viditque ibi filiam hominis Chananæi, vocabulo Sue: et accepta uxore, ingressus est ad eam.

And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in to her.

3 Quæ concepit, et peperit filium, et vocavit nomen eius Her.

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

4 Rursumque concepto fœtu, natum filium vocavit Onan.

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

5 Tertium quoque peperit: quem appellavit Sela. Quo nato, parere ultra cessavit.

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

6 Dedit autem Iudas uxorem primogenito suo Her, nomine Thamar.

And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.

7 Fuit quoque Her primogenitus Iudæ, nequam in conspectu Domini: et ab eo occisus est.

And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.

8 Dixit ergo Iudas ad Onan filium suum: Ingredere uxorem fratris tui, et sociare illi, ut suscites semen fratri tuo.

And Judah said to Onan, Go in to your brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to your brother.

9 Ille sciens non sibi nasci filios, introiens ad uxorem fratris sui, semen fundebat in terram, ne liberi fratris nomine nascerentur.

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 spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.

10 Et idcirco percussit eum Dominus, quod rem detestabilem faceret.

And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: why he slew him also.

11 Quam ob rem dixit Iudas Thamar nurui suæ: Esto vidua in domo patris tui, donec crescat Sela filius meus: timebat enim ne et ipse moreretur, sicut fratres eius. Quæ abiit, et habitavit in domo patris sui.

Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at your father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brothers did. And Tamar went and dwelled in her father’s house.

12 Evolutis autem multis diebus, mortua est filia Sue uxor Iudæ: qui post luctum consolatione suscepta, ascendebat ad tonsores ovium suarum, ipse et Hiras opilio gregis Odollamites, in Thamnas.

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.

13 Nunciatumque est Thamar quod socer illius ascenderet in Thamnas ad tondendas oves.

And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold your father in law goes up to Timnath to shear his sheep.

14 Quæ, depositis viduitatis vestibus, assumpsit theristrum: et mutato habitu, sedit in bivio itineris, quod ducit Thamnam: eo quod crevisset Sela, et non eum accepisset maritum.

And she put her widow’s garments off from her, 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 to wife.

15 Quam cum vidisset Iudas, suspicatus est esse meretricem: operuerat enim vultum suum, ne agnosceretur.

When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.

16 Ingrediensque ad eam, ait: Dimitte me ut coeam tecum: nesciebat enim quod nurus sua esset. Qua respondente: Quid dabis mihi ut fruaris concubitu meo?

And he turned to her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray you, 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, that you may come in to me?

17 dixit: Mittam tibi hœdam de gregibus. Rursumque illa dicente: Patiar quod vis, si dederis mihi arrhabonem, donec mittas quod polliceris.

And he said, I will send you a kid from the flock. And she said, Will you give me a pledge, till you send it?

18 Ait Iudas: Quid tibi vis pro arrhabone dari? Respondit: Annulum tuum, et armillam, et baculum quem manu tenes. Ad unum igitur coitum mulier concepit,

And he said, What pledge shall I give you? And she said, Your signet, and your bracelets, and your staff that is in your hand. And he gave it her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him.

19 et surgens abiit: depositoque habitu, quem sumpserat, induta est viduitatis vestibus.

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

20 Misit autem Iudas hœdum per pastorem suum Odollamitem, ut reciperet pignus quod dederat mulieri: qui cum non invenisset eam,

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 interrogavit homines loci illius: Ubi est mulier quæ sedebat in bivio? Respondentibus cunctis: Non fuit in loco ista meretrix.

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 Reversus est ad Iudam, et dixit ei: Non inveni eam: sed et homines loci illius dixerunt mihi, numquam sedisse ibi scortum.

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 Ait Iudas: Habeat sibi, certe mendacii arguere nos non potest, ego misi hœdum quem promiseram: et tu non invenisti eam.

And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and you have not found her.

24 Ecce autem post tres menses nunciaverunt Iudæ, dicentes: Fornicata est Thamar nurus tua, et videtur uterus illius intumescere. Dixitque Iudas: Producite eam ut comburatur.

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

25 Quæ cum duceretur ad pœnam, misit ad socerum suum, dicens: De viro, cuius hæc sunt, concepi: cognosce cuius sit annulus, et armilla, et baculus.

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 you, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.

26 Qui, agnitis muneribus, ait: Iustior me est: quia non tradidi eam Sela filio meo. Attamen ultra non cognovit eam.

And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She has been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

27 Instante autem partu, apparuerunt gemini in utero: atque in ipsa effusione infantium unus protulit manum, in qua obstetrix ligavit coccinum, dicens:

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

28 Iste egredietur prior.

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

29 Illo vero retrahente manum, egressus est alter: dixitque mulier: Quare divisa est propter te maceria? et ob hanc causam vocavit nomen eius Phares.

And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How have you broken forth? this breach be on you: therefore his name was called Pharez.

30 Postea egressus est frater eius, in cuius manu erat coccinum: quem appellavit Zara.

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