Genesis 38

New King James Version

Judah and Tamar

38 It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and^(A)visited a certain Adullamite whose namewasHirah.² And Judah^(B)saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose namewas^(C)Shua, and he married her and went in to her.³ So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name^(D)Er.⁴ She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name^(E)Onan.⁵ And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name^(F)Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.

⁶ Then Judah^(G)took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her namewas^(H)Tamar.⁷ But^(I)Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of theLord,^(J)and theLordkilled him.⁸ And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to^(K)your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.”⁹ But Onan knew that the heir would not be^(L)his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother.¹⁰ And the thing which he did^[a]displeased theLord; therefore He killed^(M)him also.

¹¹ Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law,^(N)“Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown.” For he said, “Lest he also die like his brothers.” And Tamar went and dwelt^(O)in her father’s house.

¹² Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; and Judah^(P)was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.¹³ And it was told Tamar, saying, “Look, your father-in-law is going up^(Q)to Timnah to shear his sheep.”¹⁴ So she took off her widow’s garments, coveredherselfwith a veil and wrapped herself, and^(R)sat in an open place whichwason the way to Timnah; for she saw^(S)that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife.¹⁵ When Judah saw her, he thought shewasa harlot, because she had covered her face.¹⁶ Then he turned to her by the way, and said, “Please let me come in to you”; for he did not know that shewashis daughter-in-law.

So she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?”

¹⁷ And he said,^(T)“I will send a young goat from the flock.”

So she said,^(U)“Will you givemea pledge till you sendit?”

¹⁸ Then he said, “What pledge shall I give you?”

So she said,^(V)“Your signet and cord, and your staff thatisin your hand.” Then he gavethemto her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him.¹⁹ So she arose and went away, and^(W)laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.

²⁰ And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receivehispledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her.²¹ Then he asked the men of that place, saying, “Where is the harlot whowas^[b]openly by the roadside?”

And they said, “There was no harlot in thisplace.”

²² So he returned to Judah and said, “I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in thisplace.”

²³ Then Judah said, “Let her takethemfor herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her.”

²⁴ And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has^(X)played the harlot; furthermore sheis^[c]with child by harlotry.”

So Judah said, “Bring her out^(Y)and let her be burned!”

²⁵ When shewasbrought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man to whom these belong, Iamwith child.” And she said,^(Z)“Please determine whose theseare—the signet and cord, and staff.”

²⁶ So Judah^(AA)acknowledgedthemand said,^(AB)“She has been more righteous than I, because^(AC)I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he^(AD)never knew her again.

²⁷ Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twinswerein her womb.²⁸ And so it was, when she was giving birth, thatthe oneput outhishand; and the midwife took a scarletthreadand bound it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.”²⁹ Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, “How did you break through?Thisbreachbeupon you!” Therefore his name was called^(AE)Perez.^[d]30 Afterward his brother came out who had the scarletthreadon his hand. And his name was called^(AF)Zerah.