18
"So what would you want in the way of a pledge?" She said, "Your personal seal-and-cord and the staff you carry." He handed them over to her and slept with her. And she got pregnant.
19
She then left and went home. She removed her veil and put her widow's clothes back on.
20
Judah sent the kid goat by his friend from Adullam to recover the pledge from the woman. But he couldn't find her.
21
He asked the men of that place, "Where's the prostitute that used to sit by the road here near Enaim?" They said, "There's never been a prostitute here."
22
He went back to Judah and said, "I couldn't find her. The men there said there never has been a prostitute there."
23
Judah said, "Let her have it then. If we keep looking, everyone will be poking fun at us. I kept my part of the bargain - I sent the kid goat but you couldn't find her."
24
Three months or so later, Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law has been playing the whore - and now she's a pregnant whore." Judah yelled, "Get her out here. Burn her up!"
25
As they brought her out, she sent a message to her father-in-law, "I'm pregnant by the man who owns these things. Identify them, please. Who's the owner of the seal-and-cord and the staff?"
26
Judah saw they were his. He said, "She's in the right; I'm in the wrong - I wouldn't let her marry my son Shelah." He never slept with her again.
27
When her time came to give birth, it turned out that there were twins in her womb.
28
As she was giving birth, one put his hand out; the midwife tied a red thread on his hand, saying, "This one came first."