38:1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from
his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name
[was] Hirah.
38:2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite,
whose name [was] Shuah; and he took her, and went in to her.
38:3 And she conceived, and bore a son; and he called his name
Er.
38:4 And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she called his
name Onan.
38:5 And she yet again conceived, and bore a son; and called his
name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bore him.
38:6 And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, whose name
[was] Tamar.
38:7 And Er, Judah's first-born, was wicked in the sight of the
LORD; and the LORD slew him.
38:8 And Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and
marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
38:9 And Onan knew that the seed would not be his: and it came
to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he
frustrated the purpose, lest he should give seed to his
brother.
38:10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore
he slew him also.
38:11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a
widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son shall be grown;
(for he said, Lest perhaps he die also as his brethren [did]:)
and Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.
38:12 And in process of time, the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife
died: and Judah was comforted, and went up to his
sheep-shearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the
Adullamite.
38:13 And it was told to Tamar, saying, Behold, thy
father-in-law goeth up to Timnath, to shear his sheep.
38:14 And she put off from her, her widow's garments, and
covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an
open place, which [is] by the way to Timnath: for she saw that
Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him for a wife.
38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought her [to be] a harlot;
because she had covered her face.
38:16 And he turned to her by the way, and said, Come, I pray
thee, let me have access to thee; (for he knew not that she
[was] his daughter-in-law:) and she said, What wilt thou give
me, that thou mayst have access to me?
38:17 And he said, I will send [thee] a kid from the flock: and
she said, Wilt thou give [me] a pledge, till thou sendest [it]?
38:18 And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? and she said,
Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that [is] in thy
hand: and he gave [them to] her, and came in to her, and she
conceived by him.
38:19 And she arose and went her way and laid by her vail from
her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
38:20 And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the
Adullamite, to receive [his] pledge from the woman's hand: but
he found her not.
38:21 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, where [is]
the harlot that [was] openly by the way-side? and they said,
There was no harlot in this [place].
38:22 And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and
also the men of the place said, [that] there was no harlot in
this [place].
38:23 And Judah said, Let her take [it] to her, lest we be
shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.
38:24 And it came to pass about three months after, that it was
told to Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath played
the harlot; and also, behold she [is] with child by lewdness:
and Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
38:25 When 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 thee, whose [are] these,
the signet, and bracelets, and staff.
38:26 And Judah acknowledged [them], and said She hath been more
righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son:
and he knew her again no more.
38:27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that
behold, twins [were] in her womb.
38:28 And it came to pass when she travailed, that [the one] put
out [his] hand; and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a
scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.
38:29 And it came to pass as he drew back his hand, that behold,
his brother came out; and she said, How hast thou broken forth?
[this] breach [be] upon thee: therefore his name was called
Pharez.
38:30 And afterwards came out his brother that had the scarlet
thread upon his hand; and his name was called Zarah.
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