Genesis 38

1 It happened at that time that Judah moved away from his brothers and stayed with an Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

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

2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite whose name was Shua. And he married her and slept with her.

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

3 She conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him Er.

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

4 She conceived again and gave birth to a son, and she named him Onan.

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

5 Then she gave birth to another son, and named him Shelah. And he was at Kezib when she gave birth to him.

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

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

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

7 Now Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, so God killed him.

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

8 Then Judah said to Onan, "Sleep with your brother's wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your 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 But Onan knew that the offspring wouldn't be his. So it happened when he slept with his brother's wife that he released his semen on the ground, so that he would not produce offspring for 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 what he did was evil in the sight of God, so he killed him also.

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

11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Remain a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah is grown up." For he thought, "I do not want him to die too, like his brothers." So Tamar went and lived in 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 After some time, Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. And Judah finished mourning, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

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

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

14 She took off her widow's clothes and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him as 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 When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute because she had covered her face.

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

16 He went over to her by the road and said, "Please come, let me sleep with you," for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, "What will you give me for sleeping with you?"

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 He said, "I will send you a young goat from the flock." She said, "Will you give me something as a guarantee until you 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 He said, "What kind of guarantee should I give you?" She replied, "Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand." So he gave them to her, and slept with her, and she became pregnant by 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 got up and left, and took off her veil, and put on her widow's clothing.

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

20 Judah sent the young goat by his friend, the Adullamite, to receive the guarantee back from the woman's hand, but he did not find 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 Then he asked the men of the place, saying, "Where is the prostitute that was at Enaim by the road?" They said, "There has been no prostitute here."

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 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.'"

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 Judah said, "Let her keep the things, lest we be publicly shamed. Look, I sent this young goat, but you did not find 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 Now it happened about three months later that Judah was told, saying, "Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has turned to prostitution, and now, look, she is pregnant by prostitution." Judah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned."

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 When she was brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, saying, "By the man who owns these I am pregnant." She also said, "Please discern whose these are—the signet, and the cord, 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 Then Judah recognized them, and said, "She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah." He did not sleep with 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 It happened when it was time for her to give birth, that look, there were twins in her womb.

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

28 As she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, "This one came 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 It happened, as he drew back his hand, that look, his brother came out, and she said, "How did you break through?" So he was named Perez.

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 Afterward his brother came out, that had the scarlet thread on his hand, so he was named Zerah.

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