38:1  And it came about at that time, that Judah departed from his brothers and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

38:2  Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her and went in to her.

38:3  So she conceived and bore a son and he named him Er.

38:4  Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan.

38:5  She bore still another son and named him Shelah; and it was at Chezib that she bore him.

38:6  Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name {was} Tamar.

38:7  But Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD took his life.

38:8  Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother."

38:9  Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother's wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother.

38:10  But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD; so He took his life also.

38:11  Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Remain a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up; for he thought, "{I am afraid} that he too may die like his brothers." So Tamar went and lived in her father's house."

38:12  Now after a considerable time Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and when the time of mourning was ended, Judah went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

38:13  It was told to Tamar, "Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep."

38:14  So she removed her widow's garments and covered {herself} with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gateway of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she had not been given to him as a wife.

38:15  When Judah saw her, he thought she {was} a harlot, for she had covered her face.

38:16  So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, "Here now, let me come in to you; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?""

38:17  He said, therefore, "I will send you a young goat from the flock. She said, moreover, "Will you give a pledge until you send {it?}""

38:18  He said, "What pledge shall I give you? And she said, "Your seal 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."

38:19  Then she arose and departed, and removed her veil and put on her widow's garments.

38:20  When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman's hand, he did not find her.

38:21  He asked the men 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.""

38:22  So he returned to Judah, and said, "I did not find her; and furthermore, the men of the place said, `There has been no temple prostitute here.'"

38:23  Then Judah said, "Let her keep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her."

38:24  Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry. Then Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!""

38:25  It was while she was being brought out that she sent to her father-in-law, saying, "I am with child by the man to whom these things belong. And she said, "Please examine and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?""

38:26  Judah recognized {them,} and said, "She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah. And he did not have relations with her again."

38:27  It came about at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb.

38:28  Moreover, it took place while she was giving birth, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet {thread} on his hand, saying, "This one came out first."

38:29  But 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 Perez."

38:30  Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet {thread} on his hand; and he was named Zerah.