Genesis 38:6–30

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

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

⁸Then 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.”

⁹Onan 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 offspring to his brother.

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

¹¹Then 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.

¹²Now ¹after a considerable time Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and when ²the time of mourning was ended, Judah went up to his sheepshearers at ^aTimnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

¹³It was told to Tamar, “¹Behold, your father-in-law is going up to ^aTimnah to shear his sheep.”

¹⁴So she ¹removed her widow’s garments and ^acovered herself with a ²veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gateway of ³Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and ^bshe had not been given to him as a wife.

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

¹⁶So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, “¹Here 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?”

¹⁷He said, therefore, “I will send you a ¹young goat from the flock.” She said, moreover, “Will you give a pledge until you send it?”

¹⁸He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said, “^aYour 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.

¹⁹Then she arose and departed, and ¹removed her ²veil and put on her widow’s garments.

²⁰When Judah sent the ¹young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her.

²¹He 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.”

²²So 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.’ ”

²³Then Judah said, “Let her ¹keep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock. ²After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.”

²⁴Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, “¹Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry.” Then Judah said, “Bring her out and ^alet her be burned!”

²⁵It 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, “^aPlease examine and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?”

²⁶Judah recognized them, and said, “^aShe is more righteous than I, inasmuch as ^bI did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not ¹have relations with her again.

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

²⁸Moreover, 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.”

²⁹But 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 ^1aPerez.

³⁰Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named ^1aZerah.