Genesis 38
38
1 AT THAT time Judah withdrew from his brothers and went to [lodge with] a certain Adullamite named Hirah.
2 There Judah saw and met a daughter of Shuah, a Canaanite; he took her as wife and lived with her.
3 And she became pregnant and bore a son, and he called him Er.
4 And she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan.
5 Again she conceived and bore a son and named him Shelah. [They were living] at Chezib when she bore him.
6 Now Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn; her name was Tamar.
7 And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord slew him.
8 Then Judah told Onan, Marry your brother's widow; live with her and raise offspring for your brother.
9 But Onan knew that the family would not be his, so when he cohabited with his brother's widow, he prevented conception, lest he should raise up a child for his brother.
10 And the thing which he did displeased the Lord; therefore He slew him also.
11 Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow at your father's house till Shelah my [youngest] son is grown; for he thought, Lest perhaps [if Shelah should marry her] he would die also, as his brothers did. So Tamar went and lived in her father's house.
12 But later Judah's wife, the daughter of Shuah, died; and when Judah was comforted, he went up to his sheepshearers at Timnath with his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
13 Then it was told Tamar, Listen, your father-in-law is going up to Timnath to shear his sheep.
14 So she put off her widow's garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapped herself up [in disguise], and sat in the entrance of Enaim, which is by the road to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown and she was not given to him as his wife.
15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot or devoted prostitute [under a vow to her goddess], for she had covered her face [as such women did].
16 He turned to her by the road and said, Come, let me have intercourse with you; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, What will you give me that you may have intercourse with me?
17 He answered, I will send you a kid from the flock. And she said, Will you give me a pledge (deposit) until you send it?
18 And he said, What pledge shall I give you? She said, Your signet [seal], your [signet] cord, and your staff that is in your hand. And he gave them to her and came in to her, and she became pregnant by him.
19 And she arose and went away and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.
20 And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand; but he was unable to find her.
21 He asked the men of that place, Where is the harlot or cult prostitute who was openly by the roadside? They said, There was no harlot or temple prostitute here.
22 So he returned to Judah and said, I cannot find her; and also the local men said, There was no harlot or temple prostitute around here.
23 And Judah said, Let her keep [the pledge articles] for herself, lest we be made ashamed. I sent this kid, but you have not found her.
24 But about three months later Judah was told, Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot, and also she is with child by her lewdness. And Judah said, Bring her forth and let her be burned!
25 When she was brought forth, she [took the things he had given her in pledge and] sent [them] to her father-in-law, saying, I am with child by the man to whom these articles belong. Then she added, Make out clearly, I pray you, to whom these belong, the signet [seal], [signet] cord, and staff.
26 And Judah acknowledged them and said, She has been more righteous and just than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son. And he did not cohabit with her again.
27 Now when the time came for her to be delivered, behold, there were twins in her womb.
28 And when she was in labor, one baby put out his hand; and the midwife took his hand and bound upon it a scarlet thread, saying, This baby was born first.
29 But he drew back his hand, and behold, his brother was born first. And she said, What a breaking forth you have made for yourself! Therefore his name was called Perez [breaking forth]. [Matt. 1:3.]
30 And afterward his brother who had the scarlet thread on his hand was born and was named Zerah [scarlet].
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Genesis 38: AMPC
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1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Genesis 38
38
1At that time Juda went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Odollamite, named Hiras.
2And he saw there the daughter of a man of Chanaan, called Sue: and taking her to wife, he went in unto her.
3And she conceived, and bore a son, and called his name Her.
4And conceiving again, she bore a son, and called him Onan.
5She bore also a third: whom she called Sela. After whose birth, she ceased to bear any more.
6And Juda took a wife for Her his firstborn, whose name was Thamar.
7And Her, the firstborn of Juda, was wicked in the sight of the Lord: and was slain by him.
8Juda, therefore add to Onan his son: Go in to thy brother's wife and marry her, that thou mayst raise seed to thy brother.
9He knowing that the children should not be his, when he went in to his brother's wife, spilled his seed upon the ground, lest children should be born in his brother's name.
10And therefore the Lord slew him, because he did a detestable thing.
11Wherefore Juda said to Thamar his daughter-in-law: Remain a widow in thy father's house, till Sela my son grow up. For he was afraid lest he also might die, as his brethren did. She went her way and dwelt in her father's house.
12And after many days were past, the daughter of Sue the wife of Juda died: and when he had taken comfort after his mourning he went up to Thamnas, to the shearers of his sheep, he and Hiras the Odollamite the shepherd of his flock.
13And it was told Thamar that her father-in-law was come up to Thamnas to shear his sheep.
14And she put off the garments of her widowhood, and took a veil, and changing her dress sat in the cross way, that leadeth to Thamnas; because Sela was grown up, and she had not been married to him.
15When Juda saw her, he thought she was a harlot: for she had covered her face, lest she should be known.
16And going to her, he said: Suffer me to lie with thee; for he knew her not to be his daughter-in-law. And she answered: What wilt thou give me to enjoy my company?
17He said: I will send thee a kid out of the flock. And when she said again: I will suffer what thou wilt, if thou give a pledge, till thou send what thou promisest.
18Juda said: What wilt thou have for a pledge? She answered: Thy ring and bracelet, and the staff which thou holdest in thy hand. The woman therefore at one copulation conceived.
19And she arose and went her way: and putting off the apparel which she had taken, put on the garments of her widowhood.
20And Juda sent a kid by his shepherd, the Odollamite, that he might receive the pledge again, which he had given to the woman: but he, not finding her,
21Asked the men of that place: Where is the woman that sat in the cross way? And when they all made answer: There was no harlot in this place,
22He returned to Juda, and said to him: I have not found her; moreover the men of that place said to me, that there never sat a harlot there.
23Juda said: Let her take it to herself; surely she cannot charge us with a lie. I sent the kid which I promised: and thou didst not find her.
24And, behold, after three months they told Juda, saying: Thamar thy daughter-in-law hath played the harlot, and she appeareth to have a big belly. And Juda said: Bring her out that she may be burnt.
25But when she was led to execution, she sent to her father-in-law, saying: By the man, to whom these things belong, I am with child. See whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.
26But he acknowledging the gifts, said: She is juster than I; because I did not give her to Sela; my son. However, he knew her no more.
27And when she was ready to be brought to bed, there appeared twins in her womb: and in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, whereon the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying:
28This shall come forth the first.
29But he drawing back his hand, the other came forth. And the woman said: Why is the partition divided for thee? And therefore called his name Phares.
30Afterwards his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread: and she called him Zara.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.