Genesis38

¹And it came about at that time, that Judah departed from his brothers and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

²Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her as a wife and had relations with her.

³And she conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him Er.

⁴Then she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and she named him Onan.

⁵She gave birth to yet another son and named him Shelah; and it was at Chezib that she gave birth to him.

⁶Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

⁷But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord took his life.

⁸Then Judah said to Onan, “Have relations with your brother’s wife and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up a child for your brother.”

⁹Now Onan knew that the child would not be his; so when he had relations with his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground so that he would not give a child to his brother.

¹⁰But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord; so He took his life also.

¹¹Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”; for he thought, “I am afraid that he too may die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

¹²Now after a considerable time Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and when the time of mourning was ended, Judah went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

¹³And Tamar was told, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”

¹⁴So she removed her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gateway of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she had not been given to him as a wife.

¹⁵When Judah saw her, he assumed she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.

¹⁶So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, “Here now, let me have relations 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 relations with me?”

¹⁷He said, therefore, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” She then said, “Will you give a pledge until you send it?”

¹⁸He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said, “Your seal and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and had relations with her, and she conceived by him.

¹⁹Then she got up and departed, and removed her veil and put on her widow’s garments.

²⁰When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her.

²¹He asked the people of her place, saying, “Where is the temple prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?” But they said, “There has been no temple prostitute here.”

²²So he returned to Judah, and said, “I did not find her; and furthermore, the people of the place said, ‘There has been no temple prostitute here.’”

²³Then Judah said, “Let her keep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.”

²⁴Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and behold, she is also pregnant by prostitution.” Then Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned!”

²⁵It was while she was being brought out that she sent word to her father-in-law, saying, “I am pregnant by the man to whom these things belong.” She also said, “Please examine and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?”

²⁶And Judah recognized them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again.

²⁷It came about at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb.

²⁸Moreover, it took place while she was giving birth, that one baby put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.”

²⁹But it came about as he drew back his hand that behold, his brother came out. Then she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” So he was named Perez.

³⁰Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.