Genesis 38

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, and her name was Tamar.

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

And Er, Judah's first-born, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.

8 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.”

And Judah said unto Onan: 'Go in unto thy brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother unto her, and raise up seed to thy brother.'

9 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.

And Onan knew that the seed would not be his; and it came to pass when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother.

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

And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of the LORD; and He slew him also.

11 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.

Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law: 'Remain a widow in thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown up'; for he said: 'Lest he also die, like his brethren.' And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

12 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.

And in process of time Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheep-shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

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

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

14 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.

And she put off from her the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the entrance of Enaim, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she was not given unto him to 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 her to be a harlot; for she had covered her face.

16 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?”

And he turned unto her by the way, and said: 'Come, 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, that thou mayest come in unto 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 thee a kid of the goats from the flock.' And she said: 'Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?'

18 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.

And he said: 'What pledge shall I give thee?' And she said: 'Thy signet and thy cord, and thy staff that is in thy hand.' And he gave them to her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.

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

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

20 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.

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 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.”

Then he asked the men of her place, saying: 'Where is the harlot, that was at Enaim by the wayside?' And they said: 'There hath been no harlot here.'

22 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.'”

And he returned to Judah, and said: 'I have not found her; and also the men of the place said: There hath been no harlot here.'

23 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.”

And Judah said: 'Let her take it, lest we be put to shame; behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.'

24 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.”

And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying: 'Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath played the harlot; and moreover, behold, she is with child by harlotry.' And Judah said: 'Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.'

25 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.”

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 thee, whose are these, the signet, and the cords, and the staff.'

26 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.

And Judah acknowledged them, and said: 'She is more righteous than I; forasmuch as I gave her not to Shelah my son.' And he knew her again no more.

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

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

28 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.”

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

29 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.

And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold his brother came out; and she said: 'Wherefore hast thou made a breach for thyself?' Therefore his name was called Perez.

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

And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand; and his name was called Zerah.