Genesis 38

1About that time Judah went away from his brothers and turned to a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah.

2Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite named Shua, took her, and went in to her.

3She conceived and bore a son, and he named him Er.

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

5She bore yet another son and named him Shelah, and he was at Chezib when she bore him.

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

7Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in Yahweh's eyes, and Yahweh put him to death.

8Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and marry her, and raise up offspring for your brother."

9Onan knew that the seed would not be his, and when he entered his brother's wife, he spilled it on the ground lest he give seed to his brother.

10What he did was evil in the eyes of Yahweh, so he put him to death also.

11Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Stay a widow in your father's house until Shelah my son grows up," for he said, "Lest he die too, like his brothers." Tamar went and lived in her father's house.

12After many days had passed, the daughter of Shua, Judah's wife, died; Judah found comfort, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah—he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13Tamar was told, "See, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep."

14She removed her widowhood garments, covered herself with a veil, wrapped herself up, and sat at the entrance of Enaim, by the road to Timnah, because she saw that Shelah had grown up and she had not been given to him as a wife.

15Judah saw her and considered her a prostitute, because she had covered her face.

16He drew near to her alongside the road and said, "Come now, please let me come to you," for he didn't realize she was his daughter-in-law. She said, "What will you give me, that you may come to me?"

17He said, "I will send a kid goat from the flock." She said, "Will you give me a pledge until you send it?"

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, went in to her, and she conceived by him.

19She got up and left, removed her veil, and put on her widow's garments.

20Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his companion the Adullamite to take the pledge from the hand of the woman, but he did not find her.

21He asked the men of her place, saying, "Where is she, the prostitute at Enaim by the road?" They said, "No prostitute has been here."

22He returned to Judah and said, "I didn't find her, and the men of the place also said there has been no prostitute here."

23Judah said, "Let her have it for herself, lest we be held in contempt. See, I sent this kid, and you have not found her."

24About three months later, Judah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has prostituted herself, and moreover, she is pregnant by prostitution." Judah said, "Bring her out and burn her."

25As she was being brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, "I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong," and she said, "Please recognize whose these are—the signet, the cords, and the staff."

26Judah recognized them and said, "She has been more righteous than I, since I did not give her to Shelah my son." And he knew her no more.

27When the time came for her to give birth, twins were in her womb.

28As she was giving birth, one thrust out a hand, and the midwife took it and bound a scarlet thread around his hand, saying, "This one came out first."

29As he withdrew his hand, his brother came out. She said, "How have you broken through upon yourself? Breach!" So his name was called Perez.

30Afterward his brother came out, the one with the scarlet thread on his hand, and he was named Zerah.