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.
2 And
Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah;
and he took her, and went in unto her.
3 And
she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.
4 And
she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.
5 And
she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was
at Chezib, when she bare him.
6 And
Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.
7 And
Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew
him.
8 And
Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise
up seed to thy brother.
9 And
Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in
unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should
give seed to his brother.
10 And
the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
11 Then
said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house,
till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his
brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.
12 And
in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was
comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend
Hirah the Adullamite.
13 And
it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to
shear his sheep.
14 And
she put her widow's garments off from her, 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 unto
him to wife.
15 When
Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her
face.
16 And
he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in
unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said,
What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?
17 And
he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said,
Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?
18 And
he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy
bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her,
and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.
19 And
she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the
garments of her widowhood.
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.
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.
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.
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.
24 And
it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar
thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with
child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
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.
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.
27 And
it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in
her womb.
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.
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.
30 And
afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and
his name was called Zarah.
