Genesis, 38

1. It happened at about that time that Judah left his brothers, to go down and settle with a certain Adullamite called Hirah.

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 Canaanite called Shua. He made her his wife and slept with her.

2. There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; he married her and went in to her,

3. She conceived and gave birth to a son whom she named Er.

3. and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er.

4. She conceived again and gave birth to a son whom she named Onan.

4. Again she conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.

5. Yet again she gave birth to a son whom she named Shelah. She was at Chezib when she gave birth to him.

5. Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. She was in Chezib when she bore him.

6. Judah took a wife for his first-born Er, and her name was Tamar.

6. And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, and her name was Tamar.

7. But Er, Judah's first-born, offended Yahweh, and Yahweh killed him.

7. But Er, Judah's first-born, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.

8. Then Judah said to Onan, 'Take your brother's wife, and do your duty as her brother-in-law, to maintain your brother's line.'

8. Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother."

9. But Onan, knowing that the line would not count as his, spilt his seed on the ground every time he slept with his brother's wife, to avoid providing offspring for his brother.

9. But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother's wife he spilled the semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother.

10. What he did was offensive to Yahweh, who killed him too.

10. And what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD, and he slew him also.

11. Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, 'Go home as a widow to your father, until my son Shelah grows up,' for he was thinking, 'He must not die like his brothers.' So Tamar went home to her father.

11. Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father's house, till Shelah my son grows up" -- for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

12. A long time passed, and then Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died. After Judah had been comforted he went up to Timnah for the shearing of his sheep, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

12. In course of time the wife of Judah, Shua's daughter, died; and when Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13. When Tamar was told, 'Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah for the shearing of his sheep,'

13. And when Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,"

14. she changed out of her widow's clothes, wrapped a veil around her to disguise herself, and sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah; for she saw that, although Shelah was grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.

14. she put off her widow's garments, and put on a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage.

15. Judah, seeing her, took her for a prostitute, since her face was veiled.

15. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot, for she had covered her face.

16. Going up to her on the road, he said, 'Here, let me sleep with you.' He did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. 'What will you give me for sleeping with you?' she asked.

16. He went over to her at the road side, and said, "Come, let me come in to you," for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?"

17. 'I will send you a kid from the flock,' he said. 'Agreed, if you give me a pledge until you send it,' she replied.

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

18. 'What pledge shall I give you?' he asked. 'Your seal and cord and the staff you are holding,' she replied. He gave them to her and slept with her, and she conceived by him.

18. He said, "What pledge shall I give you?" She replied, "Your signet and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand." So he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him.

19. Then she got up and left him and, taking off her veil, resumed her widow's weeds.

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

20. Judah sent the kid by his friend the Adullamite, to recover the pledge from the woman. But he did not find her.

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

21. He enquired from the men of the place, 'Where is the prostitute who was by the roadside at Enaim?' 'There has been no prostitute there,' they answered.

21. And he asked the men of the place, "Where is the harlot who was at Enaim by the wayside?" And they said, "No harlot has been here."

22. So returning to Judah he said, 'I did not find her. What is more, the men of the place told me there had been no prostitute there.'

22. So he returned to Judah, and said, "I have not found her; and also the men of the place said, `No harlot has been here.'"

23. 'Let her keep the things,' Judah said, 'or we shall become a laughing-stock. At least I sent her this kid, even though you did not find her.'

23. And Judah replied, "Let her keep the things as her own, lest we be laughed at; you see, I sent this kid, and you could not find her."

24. About three months later, Judah was told, 'Your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore, she is pregnant, as a result of her misconduct.' 'Bring her out,' Judah ordered, 'and let her be burnt alive!'

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

25. But as she was being led off, she sent word to her father-in-law, 'It was the owner of these who made me pregnant. Please verify', she said, 'whose seal and cord and staff these are.'

25. As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, "By the man to whom these belong, I am with child." And she said, "Mark, I pray you, whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff."

26. Judah recognised them and said, 'She was right and I was wrong, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.' He had no further intercourse with her.

26. Then Judah acknowledged them and said, "She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah." And he did not lie with her again.

27. When the time for her confinement came, there were twins in her womb!

27. When the time of her delivery came, there were twins in her womb.

28. During the delivery, one of them put out a hand, and the midwife caught it and tied a scarlet thread to it, indicating that this was the first to arrive.

28. And when she was in labor, one put out a hand; and the midwife took and bound on his hand a scarlet thread, saying, "This came out first."

29. Whereupon, he drew back his hand, and out came his brother. Then she said, 'What a breach you have opened for yourself!' So he was named Perez.

29. But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out; and she said, "What a breach you have made for yourself!" Therefore his name was called Perez.

30. Then his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, so he was named Zerah.

30. Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread upon his hand; and his name was called Zerah.