Bible in a Year.

On the twentieth day, we find a complex narrative and striking contrasts. Genesis 38 interrupts Joseph's story to narrate the controversial episode of Judah and Tamar, showing how God works even through imperfect situations to fulfill His purposes. Job 29-30 presents a painful contrast between Job's nostalgic memories of his former prosperity and honor and his current condition of misery and contempt. Proverbs 3:28-32 offers practical advice on right relationships with others, reminding us that the Lord abhors the wicked but finds favor with the righteous.

1. At that time Juda went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Odollamite, named Hiras.

2. And he saw there the daughter of a man of Chanaan, called Sue: and taking her to wife, he went in unto her.

3. And she conceived, and bore a son, and called his name Her.

4. And conceiving again, she bore a son, and called him Onan.

5. She bore also a third: whom she called Sela. after whose birth, she ceased to bear any more.

6. And Juda took a wife for Her his firstborn, whose name was Thamar.

7. And Her, the firstborn of Juda, was wicked in the sight of the Lord: and was slain by him.

8. Juda, therefore add to Onan his son: Go in to thy brother's wife and marry her, that thou mayst raise seed to thy brother.

9. He knowing that the children should not be his, when he went in to his brother's wife, spilled his seed upon the ground, lest children should be born in his brother's name.

10. And therefore the Lord slew him, be- cause he did a detestable thing.

11. Wherefore Juda said to Thamar his daughter in law: Remain a widow in thy father's house, till Sela my son grow up: for he was afraid lest he also might die, as his brethren did. She went her way and dwelt in her father's house.

12. And after many days were past, the daughter of Sue the wife of Juda died: and when he had taken comfort after his mourning, he went up to Thamnas, to the shearers of his sheep, he and Hiras the Odollamite the shepherd of his flock.

13. And it was told Thamar that her father in law was come up to Thamnas to shear his sheep.

14. And she put off the garments of her widowhood, and took a veil: and changing her dress, sat in the cross way, that leadeth to Thamnas: because Sela was grown up, and she had not been married to him.

16. When Juda saw her, he thought she was a harlot: for she had covered her face, lest she should be known.

16. And going to her, he said: Suffer me to lie with thee: for he knew her not to be his daughter in law. And she answered: What wilt thou give me to en joy my company?

17. He said: I will send thee a kid out of the flock. And when she said again: I will suffer what thou wilt, if thou give a pledge, till thou send what thou promisest,

18. Juda said: What wilt thou have for a pledge ? She answered: Thy ring and bracelet, and the staff which thou holdest in thy hand. The woman therefore at one copulation conceived.

19. And she arose and went her way: and putting off the apparel which she had taken, put on the garments of her widowhood.

20. And Juda sent a kid by his shepherd, the Odollamite, that he might receive the pledge again, which he had given to the woman: but he, not finding her,

21. asked the men of that place : Where is the woman that sat in the cross way? And when they all made answer: There was no harlot in this place,

22. He returned to Juda, and said to him: I have not found her; moreover the men of that place said to me, that there never sat a harlot there.

23. Juda said : Let her take it to herself ; surely she cannot charge us with a,lie: I sent the kid which I promised: and thou didst not find her.

24. And behold after three months they told a lie, saying: Thamar, thy daughter in law hath played the harlot, and she appeareth to have a big belly. And Juda said : Bring her out that she may be burnt.

26. But when she was led to execution, she sent to her father in law, saying: By the man, to whom these things belong, I am with child. See whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.

26. But he acknowledging the gifts, said: She is juster than I: because I did not give her to Sela, my son. However, he knew her no more.

27. And when she was ready to be brought to bed, there appeared twins in her womb: and in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, whereon the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying:

28. This shall come forth the first.

29. But he drawing back his hand, the other came forth: and the woman said: Why is the partition divided for thee? and therefore called his name Phares.

30. Afterwards his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread: and she called him Zara.

Chapter 29

1. Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:

2. Who will grant me, that I might be according to the months past, according to the days in which God kept me?

3. When his lamp shined over my head, and I walked by his light in darkness?

4. As I was in the days of my youth, when God was secretly in my tabernacle?

5. When the Almighty was with me: and my servants round about me?

6. When I washed my feet with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil?

7. When I went out to the gate of the city, and in the street they prepared me a chair?

8. The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the old men rose up and stood.

9. The princes ceased to speak, and laid the finger on their mouth.

10. The rulers held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their throat.

11. The ear that heard me blessed me, and the eye that saw me gave witness to me:

12. Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out; and the fatherless that had no helper.

13. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I comforted the heart of the widow.

14. I was clad with justice: and I clothed myself with my judgment, as with a robe and a diadem.

15. I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame.

16. I was the father of the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently.

17. I broke the jaws of the wicked man, and out of his teeth I took away the prey.

18. And I said: I shall die in my nest, and as a palm tree shall multiply my days.

19. My root is opened beside the waters, and dew shall continue in my harvest.

20. My glory shall always be renewed, and my bow in my hand shall be repaired.

21. They that heard me, waited for my sentence, and being attentive held their peace at my counsel.

22. To my words they durst add nothing, and my speech dropped upon them.

23. They waited for me as for rain, and they opened their mouth as for a latter shower.

24. If at any time I laughed on them, they believed not, and the light of my countenance fell not on earth.

25. If I had a mind to go to them, I sat first, and when I sat as a king, with his army standing about him, yet I was a comforter of them that mourned.

Chapter 30

1. But now the younger in time scorn me, whose fathers I would not have set with the dogs of my flock:

2. The strength of whose hands was to me as nothing, and they were thought unworthy of life itself.

3. Barren with want and hunger, who gnawed in the wilderness, disfigured with calamity and misery.

4. And they ate grass, and barks of trees, and the root of junipers was their food.

5. Who snatched up these things out of the valleys, and when they had found any of them, they ran to them with a cry.

6. They dwelt in the desert places of torrents, and in caves of earth, or upon the gravel.

7. They pleased themselves among these kind of things, and counted it delightful to be under the briers.

8. The children of foolish and base men, and not appearing at all upon the earth.

9. Now I am turned into their song, and am become their byword.

10. They abhor me, and flee far from me, and are not afraid to spit in my face.

11. For he hath opened his quiver, and hath afflicted me, and hath put a bridle into my mouth.

12. At the right hand of my rising, my calamities forthwith arose: they have overthrown my feet, and have overwhelmed me with their paths as with waves.

13. They have destroyed my ways, they have lain in wait against me, and they have prevailed, and there was none to help.

14. They have rushed in upon me, as when a wall is broken, and a gate opened, and have rolled themselves down to my miseries.

15. I am brought to nothing: as a wind thou hast taken away my desire: and my prosperity hath passed away like a cloud.

16. And now my soul fadeth within myself, and the days of affliction possess me.

17. In the night my bone is pierced with sorrows: and they that feed upon me, do not sleep.

18. With the multitude of them my garment is consumed, and they have girded me about, as with the collar of my coat.

19. I am compared to dirt, and am likened to embers and ashes.

20. I cry to thee, and thou hearest me not: I stand up, and thou dost not regard me.

21. Thou art changed to be cruel toward me, and in the hardness of thy hand thou art against me.

22. Thou hast lifted me up, and set me as it were upon the wind, and thou hast mightily dashed me.

23. I know that thou wilt deliver me to death, where a house is appointed for every one that liveth.

24. But yet thou stretchest not forth thy hand to their consumption: and if they shall fall down thou wilt save.

25. I wept heretofore for him that was afflicted, and my soul had compassion on the poor.

26. I expected good things, and evils are come upon me: I waited for light, and darkness broke out.

27. My inner parts have boiled without any rest, the days of affliction have prevented me.

28. I went mourning without indignation; I rose up, and cried in the crowd.

29. I was the brother of dragons, and companion of ostriches.

30. My skin is become black upon me, and my bones are dried up with heat.

31. My harp is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of those that weep.

28. Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and to morrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present.

29. Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee.

30. Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil.

31. Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways:

32. For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple.