38Genesis 38

1At that time, Judah went down from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.Select Genesis 38:1

2Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her, and went in to her.Select Genesis 38:2

3She conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er.Select Genesis 38:3

4She conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan.Select Genesis 38:4

5She yet again bore a son, and named him Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bore him.Select Genesis 38:5

6Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.Select Genesis 38:6

7Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yahweh. Yahweh killed him.Select Genesis 38:7

8Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and raise up seed to your brother.”Select Genesis 38:8

9Onan knew that the seed wouldn’t be his; and when he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother.Select Genesis 38:9

10The thing which he did was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and he killed him also.Select Genesis 38:10

11Then 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.Select Genesis 38:11

12After 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.Select Genesis 38:12

13It was told Tamar, saying, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”Select Genesis 38:13

14She took off of her the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she wasn’t given to him as a wife.Select Genesis 38:14

15When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.Select Genesis 38:15

16He 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?”Select Genesis 38:16

17He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” She said, “Will you give me a pledge, until you send it?”Select Genesis 38:17

18He 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.Select Genesis 38:18

19She arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.Select Genesis 38:19

20Judah 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.Select Genesis 38:20

21Then 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.”Select Genesis 38:21

22He returned to Judah, and said, “I haven’t found her; and also the men of the place said, ‘There has been no prostitute here.’”Select Genesis 38:22

23Judah said, “Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this young goat, and you haven’t found her.”Select Genesis 38:23

24About 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.”Select Genesis 38:24

25When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man, whose these are, I am with child.” She also said, “Please discern whose are these—the signet, and the cords, and the staff.”Select Genesis 38:25

26Judah 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.Select Genesis 38:26

27In the time of her travail, behold, twins were in her womb.Select Genesis 38:27

28When she travailed, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This came out first.”Select Genesis 38:28

29As 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.Select Genesis 38:29

30Afterward his brother came out, that had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.Select Genesis 38:30