Genesis 38:1-11

1And it came about at that time, that Judah 1departed from his brothers and 2visited a certain 3Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was 4Shua; and he took her and went in to her. 3So she conceived and bore a son and he named him 5Er. 4Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him 6Onan. 5She bore still another son and named him 7Shelah; and it was at Chezib 8that she bore him.

6Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7But 9Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord took his life. 8Then Judah said to Onan, “10Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up 11offspring for your brother.” 9Onan knew that the 1213offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he 14wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give 15offspring to his brother. 10But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord; so He 16took his life also. 11Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “17Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”; for he 18thought, “I am afraid that he too may die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.