THE BOOK OF GENESIS

 

Genesis Chapter 38

1 ¶ It happened at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her for his wife, and went in to her.

3 And she conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er.

4 She again conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Onan.

5 And she yet again conceived, and bore a son; and named him Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bore 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 to Onan, Go in to your brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to your brother.

9 And Onan knew that the seed would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled it on the ground, so that he would not give seed to his brother.

10 And the thing that 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, until Shelah my son is grown: for he thought, else he might die also, as his brothers did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.

12 ¶ And in process of time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shuah, died; and when Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnath to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13 And Tamar was told, Your father in law is going up to Timnath to shear his sheep.

14 And she took off her widow’s garments, and wrapped herself in a veil, and sat in an open place, that is by the road to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, but she had not been given to him in marriage.

15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was an harlot; for she had covered her face.

16 And he turned to her by the roadside, and said, Come, let me come in to you; (for he did not know that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What will you give me, that you may come in to me?

17 And he said, I will send you a kid from the flock. And she said, Will you give me a pledge, till you send it?

18 And he said, What pledge shall I give you? And she said, Your signet, and your bracelets, and your staff which is in your hand. And he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him.

19 Then she arose, and went away, and taking off her veil, put on the garments of her widowhood.

20 When Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand: he could not find her.

21 Then he asked the men of that place, 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 told him, I cannot find her; and the men of that place said, that no harlot had been there.

23 And Judah said, Let her keep the things for herself, lest we be laughed at: you know, I sent this kid, and you could not find her.

24 ¶ About three months later, Judah was told, Tamar your daughter in law has played the harlot; and moreover, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her out, and let her be burnt.

25 When she was brought out, she sent word to her father in law, saying, By the man, to whom these belong, I am with child: and she added, Determine whose signet, bracelets, and staff these are.

26 Then Judah acknowledged them, and said, She has been more righteous than I; because I did not give her to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

27 And at the time of her travail, twins were in her womb.

28 And it so happened, when she travailed, that one put out his hand: and the midwife tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, This one came out first.

29 But then he pulled back his hand, and his brother came out: and she said, How have you broken out first? What a breaking forth you have made for yourself: therefore he was named Pharez.

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