Genesis 38

1And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

The marriage of Judah.

2And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her, and went in unto her. 3And she conceived, and bore a son; and he called his name Er. 4And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she called his name Onan. 5And she yet again bore a son, and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him. 6And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, and her name was Tamar.

The trespass of Er and Onan, and the vengeance of God that came thereupon.

7And Er, Judah’s first-born, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. 8And Judah said to Onan, “Go in unto your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother unto her, and raise up seed for your brother.” 9And Onan knew that the seed would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, so that he would not give seed to his brother. 10And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of the LORD; and he slew him also. 11Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown up;” for he said, “Lest he also die, like his brothers.” And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house. 12And in the process of time Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheep-shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13And it was told Tamar, saying, “Behold, your father-in-law goes up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 14And she took off 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 was not given unto him to wife. 15When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot; for she had covered her face. 16And he turned unto her by the way, and said, “Come, I pray you, let me come in unto thee;” for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will give you me, that you may come in unto me?” 17And he said, “I will send you a kid of the goats from the flock.” And she said, “Will you give me a pledge, until you send it?”

Judah lieth with his daughter-in-law Tamar.

18And he said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said, “Your signet ring and your belt, and the staff that is in your hand.” And he gave them to her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. 19And she arose, and went away, took off her veil, and put on the garments of her widowhood. 20And Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand; but he could not find her. 21Then he asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the prostitute^a, that was at Enaim by the wayside?” And they said, “There has been no prostitute here.” 22And he returned to Judah, and said, “I have not found her; and also the men of the place said, There has been no prostitute here.” 23And Judah said, “Let her take it to her, or we will be put to shame; for I sent this kid, and you have not found her.”

Tamar is judged to be burnt for whoredom.

24And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, ‘Tamar thy daughter-in-law has played the harlot; and moreover, behold, she is with child by whoredom.’ And Judah said, “Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.” 25When 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 you, whose are these, the signet, and the cords, and the staff.” 26And Judah acknowledged them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, forasmuch as I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he knew her again no more. 27And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. 28And it came to pass, when she travailed, that one put out a hand; and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, “This came out first.”

The birth of Perez and Zerah.

29And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out; and she said, “Wherefore^b have you made a breach for thyself?” therefore his name was called Perez^c. 30And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand; and his name was called Zerah.