Chapter 38

And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down⁴ from his brethren, and turned⁴ in to a certain Adullamite, whose name [was] Hirah.

And Judah saw⁴ there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name [was] Shuah; and he took⁴ her, and went in⁴ unto her.

And she conceived,⁴ and bare⁴ a son; and he called⁴ his name Er.

And she conceived⁴ again, and bare⁴ a son; and she called⁴ his name Onan.

And she yet again conceived,⁵⁵ and bare⁴ a son; and called⁴ his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare² him.

And Judah took⁴ a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name [was] Tamar.

And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew⁵⁵ him.

And Judah said⁴ unto Onan, Go in³ unto thy brother's wife, and marry¹⁶ her, and raise up⁵⁴ seed to thy brother.

And Onan knew⁴ that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in⁶ unto his brother's wife, that he spilled¹⁴ [it] on the ground, lest that he should give² seed to his brother.

And the thing which he did¹ displeased^{4 5869} the LORD: wherefore he slew⁵⁵ him also.

Then said⁴ Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain³ a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown:⁴ for he said,¹ Lest peradventure he die⁴ also, as his brethren [did]. And Tamar went⁴ and dwelt⁴ in her father's house.

And in process⁴ of time the daughter of Shuah ^{7770 1340} Judah's wife died;⁴ and Judah was comforted,¹¹ and went up⁴ unto his sheepshearers^{6 6629} to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

And it was told⁹³ Tamar, saying,² Behold thy father in law goeth up⁶ to Timnath to shear² his sheep.

And she put her widow's garments off⁵⁵ from her, and covered¹⁷ her with a vail, and wrapped¹⁰¹ herself, and sat⁴ in an open place, which [is] by the way to Timnath; for she saw¹ that Shelah was grown,¹ and she was not given⁸ unto him to wife.

When Judah saw⁴ her, he thought⁴ her [to be] an harlot;⁶ because she had covered¹⁴ her face.

And he turned⁴ unto her by the way, and said,⁴ Go to,³ I pray thee, let me come in⁴ unto thee; (for he knew¹ not that she [was] his daughter in law.) And she said,⁴ What wilt thou give⁴ me, that thou mayest come in⁴ unto me?

And he said,⁴ I will send¹⁷ [thee] a kid ¹⁴²³ from the flock. And she said,⁴ Wilt thou give⁴ [me] a pledge, till thou send² [it]?

And he said,⁴ What pledge shall I give⁴ thee? And she said,⁴ Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that [is] in thine hand. And he gave⁴ [it] her, and came in⁴ unto her, and she conceived⁴ by him.

And she arose,⁴ and went away,⁴ and laid by⁵⁵ her vail from her, and put on⁴ the garments of her widowhood.

And Judah sent⁴ the kid ⁵⁷⁹⁵ by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive² [his] pledge from the woman's hand: but he found¹ her not.

Then he asked⁴ the men of that place, saying,² Where [is] the harlot, that [was] openly by the way side? And they said,⁴ There was no harlot in this [place].

And he returned⁴ to Judah, and said,⁴ I cannot find¹ her; and also the men of the place said,¹ [that] there was no harlot in this [place].

And Judah said,⁴ Let her take⁴ [it] to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent¹ this kid, and thou hast not found¹ her.

And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told⁹³ Judah, saying,² Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot;¹ and also, behold, she [is] with child by whoredom. And Judah said,⁴ Bring her forth,⁵⁴ and let her be burnt.¹¹

When she [was] brought forth,⁹⁴ she sent¹ to her father in law, saying,² By the man, whose these [are, am] I with child: and she said,⁴ Discern,⁵⁴ I pray thee, whose [are] these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.

And Judah acknowledged⁵⁵ [them], and said,⁴ She hath been more righteous¹ than I; because that I gave¹ her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her² again¹ no more.

And it came to pass in the time of her travail,² that, behold, twins [were] in her womb.

And it came to pass, when she travailed,² that [the one] put⁴ out [his] hand: and the midwife¹⁸ took⁴ and bound⁴ upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying,² This came out¹ first.

And it came to pass, as he drew back⁵⁶ his hand, that, behold, his brother came out:¹ and she said,⁴ How hast thou broken forth?¹ [this] breach [be] upon thee: therefore his name was called⁴ Pharez.

And afterward came out¹ his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called⁴ Zarah.