Genesis 38

Judah and Tamar

1And it cameH1961 about at that timeH6256, that JudahH3063 1departedH3381 from his brothersH251 and 2visitedH5186 a certainH376 3AdullamiteH5726, whose nameH8034 was HirahH2437. 2JudahH3063 sawH7200 thereH8033 a daughterH1323 of a certainH376 CanaaniteH3669 whose nameH8034 was 4ShuaH7770; and he tookH3947 her and wentH935 in to her. 3So she conceivedH2029 and boreH3205 a sonH1121 and he namedH7121H8034 him 5ErH6147. 4Then she conceivedH2029 againH5750 and boreH3205 a sonH1121 and namedH7121H8034 him 6OnanH209. 5She boreH3205 stillH5750 anotherH3254 sonH1121 and namedH7121H8034 him 7ShelahH7956; and it was at ChezibH3580 8that she boreH3205 him.

6Now JudahH3063 tookH3947 a wifeH802 for ErH6147 his firstbornH1060, and her nameH8034 was TamarH8559. 7But 9ErH6147, Judah’sH3063 firstbornH1060, was evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, so the LordH3068 tookH4191 his lifeH4191. 8Then JudahH3063 saidH559 to OnanH209, “10GoH935 in to your brother’sH251 wifeH802, and performH2992 your dutyH2992 as a brother-in-lawH2992 to her, and raiseH6965 up 11offspringH2233 for your brotherH251.” 9OnanH209 knewH3045 that the 1213offspringH2233 would not be his; so whenH518 he wentH935 in to his brother’sH251 wifeH802, he 14wastedH7843 his seed on the groundH776 in order not to giveH5414 15offspringH2233 to his brotherH251. 10But whatH834 he didH6213 was displeasingH7489 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068; so He 16tookH4191 his lifeH4191 alsoH1571. 11Then JudahH3063 saidH559 to his daughter-in-lawH3618 TamarH8559, “17RemainH3427 a widowH490 in your father’sH1 houseH1004 untilH5704 my sonH1121 ShelahH7956 growsH1431 up”; for he 18thoughtH559, “I am afraid that he tooH1571 may dieH4191 like his brothersH251.” So TamarH8559 wentH1980 and livedH3427 in her father’sH1 houseH1004.

12Now 19after a considerableH7235 timeH3117 Shua’sH7770 daughterH1323, the wifeH802 of JudahH3063, diedH4191; and when 20the timeH5162 of mourningH5162 was endedH5162, JudahH3063 wentH5927 up to his sheepshearersH6629H1494 at 21TimnahH8553, he and his friendH7453 HirahH2437 the AdullamiteH5726. 13It was toldH5046 to TamarH8559, “22BeholdH2009, your father-in-lawH2524 is goingH5927 up to 23TimnahH8553 to shearH1494 his sheepH6629.” 14So she 24removedH5493 her widow’sH491 garmentsH899 and 25coveredH3680 herself with a 26veilH6809, and wrappedH5968 herself, and satH3427 in the gatewayH6607 of 27EnaimH5879, whichH834 is on the roadH1870 to TimnahH8553; for she sawH7200 that ShelahH7956 had grownH1431 up, and 28she had not been givenH5414 to him as a wifeH802. 15When JudahH3063 sawH7200 her, he thoughtH2803 she was a harlotH2181, for she had coveredH3680 her faceH6440. 16So he turnedH5186 asideH5186 to her by the roadH1870, and saidH559, “29HereH3051 nowH4994, let me comeH935 in to you”; for he did not knowH3045 that she was his daughter-in-lawH3618. And she saidH559, “WhatH4100 will you giveH5414 me, that you may comeH935 in to me?” 17He saidH559, therefore, “I will sendH7971 you a 30youngH1423H5795 goatH1423H5795 from the flockH6629.” She saidH559, moreover, “Will you giveH5414 a pledgeH6162 untilH5704 you sendH7971 it?” 18He saidH559, “WhatH4100 pledgeH6162 shall I giveH5414 you?” And she saidH559, “31Your sealH2368 and your cordH6616, and your staffH4294 that is in your handH3027.” So he gaveH5414 them to her and wentH935 in to her, and she conceivedH2029 by him. 19Then she aroseH6965 and departedH1980, and 32removedH5493 her 33veilH6809 and putH3847 on her widow’sH491 garmentsH899.

20When JudahH3063 sentH7971 the 34youngH1423H5795 goatH1423H5795 by his friendH7453 the AdullamiteH5726, to receiveH3947 the pledgeH6162 from the woman’sH802 handH3027, he did not findH4672 her. 21He askedH7592 the menH376 of her placeH4725, sayingH559, “WhereH346 is the templeH6945 prostituteH6945 whoH1931 was by the roadH1870 at EnaimH5879?” But they saidH559, “There has beenH1961 noH3808 templeH6945 prostituteH6945 hereH2088.” 22So he returnedH7725 to JudahH3063, and saidH559, “I did not findH4672 her; and furthermoreH1571, the menH376 of the placeH4725 saidH559, ‘There has beenH1961 noH3808 templeH6945 prostituteH6945 hereH2088.’” 23Then JudahH3063 saidH559, “Let her 35keepH3947 them, otherwiseH6435 we will becomeH1961 a laughingstockH937. 36AfterH2009 allH2009, I sentH7971 thisH2088 youngH1423 goatH1423, but you did not findH4672 her.”

24Now it was about threeH7969 monthsH2320 later that JudahH3063 was informedH5046, “37Your daughter-in-lawH3618 TamarH8559 has playedH2181 the harlotH2181, and beholdH2009, she is alsoH1571 with childH2030 by harlotryH2183.” Then JudahH3063 saidH559, “BringH3318 her out and 38let her be burnedH8313!” 25It was while she was being broughtH3318 out that she sentH7971 to her father-in-lawH2524, sayingH559, “I am with childH2030 by the manH376 to whomH834 theseH428 thingsH428 belong.” And she saidH559, “39PleaseH4994 examineH5234 and seeH5234, whoseH4310 signetH2368 ringH2858 and cordsH6616 and staffH4294 are theseH428?” 26JudahH3063 recognizedH5234 them, and saidH559, “40She is moreH4480 righteousH6663 thanH4480 I, inasmuchH3588H5921H3651 as 41I did not giveH5414 her to my sonH1121 ShelahH7956.” And he did not 42haveH3045 relationsH3045 with her againH3254H5750.

27It cameH1961 about at the timeH6256 she was givingH3205 birthH3205, that beholdH2009, there were 43twinsH8420 in her wombH990. 28Moreover, it tookH1961 placeH1961 while she was givingH3205 birthH3205, one putH5414 out a handH3027, and the midwifeH3205 tookH3947 and tiedH7194 a scarletH8144 thread on his handH3027, sayingH559, “ThisH2088 oneH2088 cameH3318 out firstH7223.” 29But it cameH1961 about as he drewH7725 backH7725 his handH3027, that beholdH2009, his brotherH251 cameH3318 out. Then she saidH559, “WhatH4100 a breachH6556 you have madeH6555 for yourself!” So he was namedH7121H8034 4445PerezH6557. 30AfterwardH310 his brotherH251 cameH3318 out whoH834 had the scarletH8144 thread on his handH3027; and he was namedH7121H8034 4647ZerahH2226.