GENESIS
Chapter 38

Sons of Judah

38:1 And it happened at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name [was] Hirah.
38:2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a 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 continued still, 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 firstborn, whose name [was] Tamar.
38:7 And Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the sight of Yehovah ; and Yehovah killed him.
38:8 And Judah said to Onan, Go in to your brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to your brother.
38:9 And Onan knew that the seed would not be his; and it happened, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he wasted [his semen] the ground, not giving seed to his brother.
38:10 And the thing which he did displeased Yehovah so he killed him also.
38:11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in-law, Remain a widow at your father's house, till Shelah my son is grown for he said, Unless perhaps he die also, as his brothers [did]. And Tamar went and lived 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 sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

Tamar deceives Judah

38:13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Look your father in-law is going up to Timnath to shear his sheep.
38:14 And she took her widow's garments off , and disguised herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which [is] by the way to Timnath ; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she had not been given to him for a wife.
38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot ; because she had veiled her face.
38:16 And he turned to her by the roadway, and said, Come now, let me come in to you; (for he knew not that she [was] his daughter in law.) And she said, What will you give me, that you may come in to me?
38:17 And he said, I will send [you] a kid from the flock. And she said, Will you give [me] a pledge, till you send [it]?
38:18 And he said, What pledge shall I give you? And she said, Your signet, and your bracelets, and your staff that [is] in your hand. And he gave [it] her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him.
38:19 And she arose, and went away, and laid by her veil 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] at Enaim by the roadway? 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 [them] for herself, that we not become a laughing-stock. See, I sent this kid, and you have not found her.
38:24 And after three months it happened, it was told to Judah, saying, Tamar your daughter in law has committed adultery and also, behold, she [is] with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her out, and let her be burned.
38:25 When she [was] brought out, she sent to her father in law, saying, I am pregnant by a man to whom these belong. Note now whose [are] these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff?
38:26 And Judah acknowledged [them], and said, She has been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he never knew her again.

Tamar brings forth twins

38:27 And it happened in the time of her bearing, that, behold, twins [were] in her womb.
38:28 And it came to pass, when she was bearing, 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 have you broken a break for yourself? And one called his name Pharez.
38:30 And then his brother came out, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand and one called his name Zarah.

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