Genesis 38

1 At that time, Judah went down from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

About the same time, Judah, descending from his brothers, turned toward an Adullamite man, named Hirah.

2 There, Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite man named Shua. He took her, and went in to her.

And he saw there the daughter of a man called Shua, of Canaan. And taking her as a wife, he entered to her.

3 She conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er.

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

4 She conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan.

And conceiving offspring again, having given birth to a son, she called him Onan.

5 She yet again bore a son, and named him Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.

Likewise, she bore a third, whom she called Shelah, after whose birth, she ceased to bear any more.

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

Then Judah gave a wife to his first born Er, whose name was Tamar.

7 Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight. So the LORD killed him.

And it also happened that Er, the first born of Judah, was wicked in the sight of the Lord and was killed by him.

8 Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.”

Therefore, Judah said to his son Onan: “Enter to the wife of your brother, and associate with her, so that you may raise offspring to your brother.”

9 Onan knew that the offspring wouldn’t be his; and when he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother.

He, knowing that the sons to be born would not be his, when he entered to the wife of his brother, he spilled his seed on the ground, lest children should be born in his brother’s name.

10 The thing which he did was evil in the LORD’s sight, and he killed him also.

And for this reason, the Lord struck him down, because he did a detestable thing.

11 Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, until Shelah, my son, is grown up;” for he said, “Lest he also die, like his brothers.” Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

Because of this matter, Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Be a widow in your father’s house, until my son Shelah grows up.” For he was afraid, lest he also might die, just as his brothers did. She went away, and she lived in her father’s house.

12 After many days, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah, the Adullamite.

Then, after many days had passed, the daughter of Shua, the wife of Judah, died. And when he accepted consolation after his mourning, he went up to the shearers of his sheep at Timnah, he and Hirah, the herdsman of the Adullamite flock.

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

And it was reported to Tamar that her father-in-law had gone up to Timnah to shear the sheep.

14 She took off the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she wasn’t given to him as a wife.

And storing away the garments of her widowhood, she took up a veil. And changing her clothing, she sat at the crossroad that leads to Timnah, because Shelah had grown up, and she had not received him as a husband.

15 When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.

And when Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot. For she had covered her face, lest she be recognized.

16 He turned to her by the way, and said, “Please come, let me come in to you,” for he didn’t know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?”

And entering to her, he said, “Permit me to join with you.” For he did not know her to be his daughter-in-law. And she responded, “What will you give to me, to enjoy me as a concubine?”

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?”

He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And again, she said, “I will allow what you want, if you give me a pledge, until you may send what you promise.”

18 He said, “What pledge will I give you?” She said, “Your signet and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” He gave them to her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him.

Judah said, “What do you want to be given for a pledge?” She responded, “Your ring and bracelet, and the staff that you hold in your hand.” Thereupon, the woman, from one sexual encounter, conceived.

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

And she arose and went away. And storing away the garments that she had taken up, she was clothed in the garments of her widowhood.

20 Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend, the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, but he didn’t find her.

Then Judah sent a young goat by his shepherd, the Adullamite, so that he might receive the pledge that he had given to the woman. But, when he had not found her,

21 Then he asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the prostitute, that was at Enaim by the road?” They said, “There has been no prostitute here.”

he questioned the men of that place: “Where is the woman who sat at the crossroad?” And they all responded, “There has been no harlot in this place.”

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 he said to him: “I did not find her. Moreover, the men of that place told me that a prostitute had never sat there.”

23 Judah said, “Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this young goat, and you haven’t found her.”

Judah said: “Let her hold herself to blame. Certainly, she is not able to accuse us of a lie. I sent the young goat that I had promised, and you did not find her.”

24 About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute. Moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution.” Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burnt.”

And behold, after three months, they reported to Judah, saying, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has committed fornication and her abdomen appears to be enlarged.” And Judah said, “Produce her, so that she may be burned.”

25 When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man who owns these.” She also said, “Please discern whose these are—the signet, and the cords, and the staff.”

But when she was led out to the punishment, she sent to her father-in-law, saying: “I conceived by the man to whom these things belong. Recognize whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.”

26 Judah acknowledged them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, because I didn’t give her to Shelah, my son.” He knew her again no more.

But he, acknowledging the gifts, said: “She is more just than I am. For I did not deliver her to my son Shelah.” However, he knew her no more.

27 In the time of her travail, behold, twins were in her womb.

Then, at the moment of birth, there appeared twins in the womb. And so, in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, on which the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying,

28 When she travailed, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This came out first.”

“This one will go out first.”

29 As he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out, and she said, “Why have you made a breach for yourself?” Therefore his name was called Perez.

But in truth, drawing back his hand, the other came out. And the woman said, “Why is the partition divided for you?” And for this reason, she called his name Perez.

30 Afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

After this, his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread. And she called him Zerah.