Genesis 38:1–11

Judah and Tamar

1 And it came about at that time, that Judah 1departed from his brothers and 2visited a certain aAdullamite, whose name was Hirah.

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

3 So she conceived and bore a son and he named him aEr.

4 Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him aOnan.

5 She bore still another son and named him aShelah; and it was at Chezib 1that she bore him.

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

7 But aEr, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord took his life.

8 Then Judah said to Onan, “aGo in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up 1offspring for your brother.”

9 Onan knew that the 1aoffspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he 2wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give 1offspring to his brother.

10 But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord; so He atook his life also.

11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “aRemain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”; for he 1thought, “I am afraid that he too may die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.