Genesis

The first book of Moses, called Genesis, chapter 38, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 38 New English Translation

Judah and Tamar

   1 At that time Judah left his brothers and stayed with an Adullamite man named Hirah.
   2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. Judah acquired her as a wife and had marital relations with her. 3 She became pregnant and had a son. Judah named him Er. 4 She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan. 5 Then she had yet another son, whom she named Shelah. She gave birth to him in Kezib.
   6 Judah acquired a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the LORD's sight, so the LORD killed him.
   8 Then Judah said to Onan, "Have sexual relations with your brother's wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise up a descendant for your brother." 9 But Onan knew that the child would not be considered his. So whenever he had sexual relations with his brother's wife, he withdrew prematurely so as not to give his brother a descendant. 10 What he did was evil in the LORD's sight, so the LORD killed him too.
   11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Live as a widow in your father's house until Shelah my son grows up." For he thought, "I don't want him to die like his brothers." So Tamar went and lived in her father's house.
   12 After some time Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah was consoled, he left for Timnah to visit his sheepshearers, along with his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 Tamar was told, "Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep." 14 So she removed her widow's clothes and covered herself with a veil. She wrapped herself and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the way to Timnah. (She did this because she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.)
   15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute because she had covered her face. 16 He turned aside to her along the road and said, "Come on! I want to have sex with you." (He did not realize it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, "What will you give me in exchange for having sex with you?" 17 He replied, "I'll send you a young goat from the flock." She asked, "Will you give me a pledge until you send it?" 18 He said, "What pledge should I give you?" She replied, "Your seal, your cord, and the staff that's in your hand." So he gave them to her and had sex with her. She became pregnant by him. 19 She left immediately, removed her veil, and put on her widow's clothes.
   20 Then Judah had his friend Hirah the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge, but Hirah could not find her. 21 He asked the men who were there, "Where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim by the road?" But they replied, "There has been no cult prostitute here." 22 So he returned to Judah and said, "I couldn't find her. Moreover, the men of the place said, 'There has been no cult prostitute here.'" 23 Judah said, "Let her keep the things for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest. I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn't find her."
   24 After three months Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution, and as a result she has become pregnant." Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!" 25 While they were bringing her out, she sent word to her father-in-law: "I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong." Then she said, "Identify the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong." 26 Judah recognized them and said, "She is more upright than I am, because I wouldn't give her to Shelah my son." He did not have sexual relations with her again.
   27 When it was time for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. 28 While she was giving birth, one child put out his hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, "This one came out first." 29 But then he drew back his hand, and his brother came out before him. She said, "How you have broken out of the womb!" So he was named Perez. 30 Afterward his brother came out - the one who had the scarlet thread on his hand - and he was named Zerah.

King James Version

   1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
   2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.
   3 And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.
   4 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.
   5 And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.
   6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.
   7 And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
   8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
   9 And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.
   10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
   11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.
   12 ¶ And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
   13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.
   14 And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.
   15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.
   16 And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?
   17 And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?
   18 And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.
   19 And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, 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 found her not.
   21 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.
   22 And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.
   23 And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.
   24 ¶ And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
   25 When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.
   26 And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.
   27 ¶ And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
   28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.
   29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.
   30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.