Genesis 38
Judah and Tamar
1 And it came about at that time, that Judah ▼▼Lit went down
departed from his brothers and ▼▼Lit turned aside to
visited a certain cAdullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was dShua; and he took her as a wife and had relations with her. 3And she conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him eEr. 4Then she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and she named him fOnan. 5She gave birth to yet another son and named him gShelah; and it was at Chezib ▼▼Lit when
that she gave birth to him. 6 Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7But iEr, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord took his life. 8Then Judah said to Onan, “ jHave relations with your brother’s wife and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up a ▼▼Lit seed
child for your brother.” 9Now Onan knew that the ▼▼Lit seed
mchild would not be his; so when he had relations with his brother’s wife, he ▼▼Lit spilled on the ground
wasted his seed on the ground so that he would not give ▼▼Lit seed
a child to his brother. 10But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord; so He ptook his life also. 11Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “ qRemain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”; for he ▼▼Lit said
thought, “I am afraid that he too may die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house. 12 Now ▼▼Lit the days became many and
after a considerable time Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and when ▼▼Lit Judah was comforted, he
the time of mourning was ended, Judah went up to his sheepshearers at uTimnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13And Tamar was told, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to vTimnah to shear his sheep.” 14So she ▼▼Lit removed from herself
removed her widow’s garments and xcovered herself with a ▼▼Or shawl
veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gateway of ▼▼In Josh 15:34, Enam
Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and aashe had not been given to him as a wife. 15When Judah saw her, he assumed she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, “ ▼▼Or Come, now
Here now, let me have relations with you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give me, that you may have relations with me?” 17He said, therefore, “I will send you a ▼▼Lit kid of goats
young goat from the flock.” She then said, “Will you give a pledge until you send it?” 18He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said, “ adYour seal and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and had relations with her, and she conceived by him. 19Then she got up and departed, and ▼▼Lit removed from herself
removed her ▼▼Or shawl
veil and put on her widow’s garments. 20 When Judah sent the ▼▼Lit kid of goats by the hand of
young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. 21He asked the people of her place, saying, “Where is the temple prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?” But they said, “There has been no temple prostitute here.” 22So he returned to Judah, and said, “I did not find her; and furthermore, the people of the place said, ‘There has been no temple prostitute here.’” 23Then Judah said, “Let her ▼▼Lit take for herself
keep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock. ▼▼Lit Behold
After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.” 24 Now it was about three months later that Judah was ▼▼Lit informed, saying
informed, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and behold, she is also pregnant by prostitution.” Then Judah said, “Bring her out and akhave her burned!” 25It was while she was being brought out that she sent word to her father-in-law, saying, “I am pregnant by the man to whom these things belong.” She also said, “ alPlease examine and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?” 26And Judah recognized them, and said, “ amShe is more righteous than I, since anI did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not ▼▼Lit know her yet again
have relations with her again. 27 It came about at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were aptwins in her womb. 28Moreover, it took place while she was giving birth, that one baby put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 29But it came about as he drew back his hand that behold, his brother came out. Then she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” So he was named ▼▼I.e., a breach
arPerez. 30Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named ▼▼I.e., a dawning or brightness
atZerah.
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