Genesis 38

1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down away from his brethren, —and turned aside unto a certain Adullamite, whose, name, was Hirah.

And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a man of Adullam whose name was Hirah.

2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose, name, was Shua, —and he took her, and went in unto her;

And Judah saw there the daughter of a Canaanitish man whose name was Shua; and he took her, and went in to her.

3 and she conceived and bare a son, —and he called his name Er.

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

4 And she conceived again and bare a son, —and she called his name Onan.

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

5 And she, yet again, bare a son, and called his name Shelah, —and she, was at Chezib, when she bare him.

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

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

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

7 And it came to pass that Er, Judah’s firstborn was displeasing in the eyes of Yahweh, —so Yahweh put him to death,

And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah slew him.

8 Then said Judah to Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and fulfil the duty of a brother-in-law unto her, —and raise up seed, to thy brother.

Then Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and fulfil to her the brother-in-law's duty, and raise up seed to thy brother.

9 And Onan knew that the seed would not be his, —and so although he did go in unto his brother’s wife, yet made he waste upon the ground, so as not to give seed to his brother.

But when Onan knew that the seed should not be his own, it came to pass when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled [it] on the ground, in order to give no seed to his brother.

10 And it was displeasing, in the eyes of Yahweh what he had done, —so he put, him also, to death,

And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and he slew him also.

11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law—Remain a widow in the house of thy father until Shelah my son grow up. For he said, Lest, he also, die, like his brethren. So Tamar went her way, and remained in the house of her father.

And Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow in thy father's house, until Shelah my son is grown; for he said, Lest he die also, as his brethren. And Tamar went and remained in her father's house.

12 And when the days were multiplied, then died Shua’s daughter, Judah’s wife, —and Judah consoled himself and went up unto his sheep shearers, he and Hirah his friend the Adullamite, towards Timnah.

And as the days were multiplied, Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. And Judah was comforted, and he went up to his sheep-shearers, to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13 And it was told Tamar saying, —Lo! thy father-in-law is going up towards Timnah, to the shearing of his sheep.

And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.

14 So she put off from her the garments of her widowhood and covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself up, and sat down in the entrance of, Enaim, which is by the way towards Timnah, —for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she, had not been given him to wife.

And she put the garments of her widowhood off from her, and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the entry of Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as wife.

15 And Judah, seeing her, reckoned her to be an unchaste woman, —for she had covered her face.

And Judah saw her, and took her for a harlot; because she had covered her face.

16 So he turned aside unto her. by the way, and said Grant it! I pray thee, let me come in unto thee! For he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, What wilt thou give me, if thou shouldst come in unto me?

And he turned aside to her by the way, and said, Come, I pray thee, let me go in to thee; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in to me?

17 And he said, I, will send a kid of the goats from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give a pledge until thou send it?

And he said, I will send [thee] a kid of the goats from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give [me] a pledge, until thou send it?

18 And he said—What is the pledge that I shall give thee? And She said—Thy signet-ring, and thy guard, and thy staff that is in thy hand. So he gave them to her and came in unto her and she conceived by him.

And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy lace, and thy staff which is in thy hand. And he gave [it] her, and went in to her; and she conceived by him.

19 Then she arose and went her way, and put off her veil from her, —and put on the garments of her widowhood.

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

20 And Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge at the hand of the woman, —but he found her not.

And Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman's hand; but he found her not.

21 So he asked the men of her place saying. Where is the devotee, she that was in Enaim, by the way? And they said, —There hath been here no devotee.

And he asked the men of her place, saying, Where is the prostitute that was at Enaim, by the way-side? And they said, There was no prostitute here.

22 Then returned he unto Judah, and said—I found her not, —moreover also, the men of the place said, There hath been here no devotee.

And he returned to Judah, and said, I have not found her; and also the men of the place said, No prostitute has been here.

23 And Judah said: Thou must take it to her, lest we become a contempt, —lo! I sent this kid, and, thou, hast not found her.

Then Judah said, Let her take [it] for herself, lest we be put to shame. Behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

24 And it came to pass that about three months after, it was told Judah, saying—Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath been guilty of unchastity, moreover also lo! she hath conceived by unchastity. Then said Judah, Bring her forth and let her be burnt.

And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law has committed fornication, and behold, she is also with child by fornication. And Judah said, Bring her forth, that she may be burned.

25 When, she, was about to be brought forth, then, she herself, sent unto her father-in-law saying, By the man to whom these belong, have I, conceived! And she said—Examine, I pray thee, to whom belong the signet-ring, and the guard, and the staff—these!

When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man to whom these [belong] am I with child; and she said, Acknowledge, I pray thee, whose are this signet, and this lace, and this staff.

26 So Judah examined them and said—More righteous than I! forasmuch, as I had not given her to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

And Judah acknowledged [them], and said, She is more righteous than I, because I have not given her to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

27 And, it came to pass at the time of her travail, that lo! twins, were in her womb.

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

28 And it came to pass when she was in travail, that one put forth a hand, —so the midwife took and bound upon his hand a crimson thread, saying—This came first!

And it came to pass when she brought forth, that one stretched out [his] hand, and the midwife took it and bound round his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.

29 And so it was that, no sooner had he withdrawn his hand, than lo! his brother had come. And she said, Wherefore hast thou made for thyself a breach? So his name was called Perez.

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! on thee be the breach! And they called his name Pherez.

30 And afterwards, came his brother, on whose hand was the crimson thread, —so his name was called, Zerah.

And afterwards came out his brother, round whose hand was the scarlet thread; and they called his name Zerah.