Genesis 38:5-15

5 She yet again bore a son, and named him Shelach: and he was at Keziv, when she bore him.
6 Yehudah took a wife for `Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
7 `Er, Yehudah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD. The LORD killed him.
8 Yehudah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and raise up seed to your brother."
9 Onan knew that the seed wouldn't be his; and it happened, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother.
10 The thing which he did was evil in the sight of the LORD, and he killed him also.
11 Then Yehudah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father's house, until Shelach, my son, is grown up;" for he said, "Lest he also die, like his brothers." Tamar went and lived in her father's house.
12 After many days, Shu`a's daughter, the wife of Yehudah, died. Yehudah was comforted, and went up to his sheep-shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah, the `Adullami.
13 It was told Tamar, saying, "Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep."
14 She took off of her the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of `Enayim, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelach was grown up, and she wasn't given to him as a wife.
15 When Yehudah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.

Genesis 38:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 38

This chapter is wholly taken up with matters relating to Judah, the fourth son of Jacob, from whom the Jews have their name, and from whom Christ sprung: it treats of his marriage with a Canaanitess, his children by her, their character and end, Ge 38:1-11; of his incest with his daughter-in-law, though unknown by him, Ge 38:12-23; of his resentment against her, when he heard she was with child, and his confusion when he found it was by himself, Ge 38:24-26; and of the birth of twins by her, named Pharez and Zarah, Ge 38:27-30.

The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.