Genesis:38

---

Seeker Overlay ON

* 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 . * And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua ; and he took her , and went in unto her . * And she conceived , and bore a son ; and he called his name Er . * And she conceived again , and bore a son ; and she called his name Onan . * And she yet again bore a son , and called his name Shelah ; and he was at Chezib , when she bore him . * And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born , and her name was Tamar . * And Er , Judah 's first-born , was wicked in the sight of the LORD ; and the LORD slew him . * And Judah said unto Onan : 'Go in unto thy brother 's wife , and perform the duty of a husband 's brother unto her , and raise up seed to thy brother .' * And Onan knew that the seed would 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 he should give seed to his brother . * And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of the LORD ; and He slew him also . * Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law : 'Remain a widow in thy father 's house , till Shelah my son be grown up '; for he said : 'Lest he also die , like his brethren .' And Tamar went and dwelt in her father 's house . * And in process of time Shua 's daughter , the wife of Judah , died ; and Judah was comforted , and went up unto his sheep - shearers to Timnah , he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite . * And it was told Tamar , saying : 'Behold , thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnah to shear his sheep .' * And she put off from her the garments of her widowhood , and covered herself with her veil , and wrapped herself , and sat in the entrance of Enaim , which is by the way to Timnah ; for she saw that Shelah was grown up , and she was not given unto him to wife . * When Judah saw her , he thought her to be a harlot ; for she had covered her face . * And he turned unto her by the way , and said : 'Come , 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 ?' * And he said : 'I will send thee a kid of the goats from the flock .' And she said : 'Wilt thou give me a pledge , till thou send it ?' * And he said : 'What pledge shall I give thee ?' And she said : 'Thy signet and thy cord , and thy staff that is in thy hand .' And he gave them to her , and came in unto her , and she conceived by him . * And she arose , and went away , and put off her veil from her , and put on the garments of her widowhood . * And Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite , to receive the pledge from the woman 's hand ; but he found her not . * Then he asked the men of her place , saying : 'Where is the harlot , that was at Enaim by the wayside ?' And they said : 'There hath been no harlot here .' * And he returned to Judah , and said : 'I have not found her ; and also the men of the place said : There hath been no harlot here .' * And Judah said : 'Let her take it , lest we be put to shame ; behold , I sent this kid , and thou hast not found her .' * 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 moreover , behold , she is with child by harlotry .' And Judah said : 'Bring her forth , and let her be burnt .' * 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 the cords , and the staff .' * And Judah acknowledged them , and said : 'She is more righteous than I ; forasmuch as I gave her not to Shelah my son .' And he knew her again no more . * And it came to pass in the time of her travail , that , behold , twins were in her womb . * And it came to pass , when she travailed , that one put out a hand ; and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread , saying : 'This came out first .' * And it came to pass , as he drew back his hand , that , behold his brother came out ; and she said : 'Wherefore hast thou made a breach for thyself ?' Therefore his name was called Perez . * And afterward came out his brother , that had the scarlet thread upon his hand ; and his name was called Zerah .

---