1
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.
2
And
Judah saw there a
daughter of a
certain Canaanite, whose
name was
Shuah; and he took
her , and went
in unto her.
3
And she
conceived , and
bare a
son; and he
called his
name Er.
4
And she
conceived again, and
bare a
son; and she
called his
name Onan.
5
And she yet again
conceived , and
bare a
son; and
called his
name Shelah: and he was at
Chezib, when she
bare him.
6
And
Judah took a
wife for
Er his
firstborn, whose
name was
Tamar.
7
And
Er, Judah's firstborn, was
wicked in the
sight of the
LORD; and the
LORD slew him.
8
And
Judah said unto
Onan, Go
in unto thy
brother's wife, and
marry her, and raise
up seed to thy
brother.
9
And
Onan knew that the
seed should 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 that he should
give seed to his
brother.
10
And the thing
which he
did displeased * the
LORD: wherefore he
slew him also.
11
Then
said Judah to
Tamar his daughter in
law, Remain a
widow at thy
father's house, till
Shelah my
son be
grown : for he
said , Lest peradventure he
die also, as his
brethren did. And
Tamar went and
dwelt in her
father's house.
12
And in
process of
time the
daughter of
Shuah Judah's wife died ; and
Judah was
comforted , and went
up unto his
sheepshearers * to
Timnath, he and his
friend Hirah the
Adullamite.
13
And it was
told Tamar, saying , Behold thy father in
law goeth
up to
Timnath to
shear his
sheep.
14
And she
put her
widow's garments off from her, and covered
her with a
vail, and wrapped
herself , and sat
in an
open place, which is by the
way to
Timnath; for she
saw that
Shelah was
grown , and she was not
given unto him to
wife.
15
When
Judah saw
her , he
thought her to be an
harlot ; because she had
covered her
face.
16
And he
turned unto her by the
way, and
said , Go
to , 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?
17
And he
said , I will
send thee a
kid from the
flock. And she
said , Wilt thou
give me a
pledge, till thou
send it?
18
And he
said ,
What pledge shall I
give thee? And she
said , Thy
signet, and thy
bracelets, and thy
staff that is in thine
hand. And he
gave it her, and came
in unto her, and she
conceived by him.
19
And she
arose , and went
away , and laid
by her
vail from her, and put
on the
garments of her
widowhood.
20
And
Judah sent the
kid by the
hand of his
friend the
Adullamite, to
receive his
pledge from the
woman's hand: but he found
her not.
21
Then he
asked the
men of that
place, saying , Where is the
harlot, that was
openly by the way
side? And they
said , There was no
harlot in
this place.
22
And he
returned to
Judah, and
said , I
cannot find her; and also the
men of the
place said , that there was no
harlot in this place.
23
And
Judah said , Let her
take it to her, lest we be
shamed: behold, I
sent this
kid, and thou hast not
found her.
24
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 also, behold, she is with
child by
whoredom. And
Judah said , Bring her
forth , and let her be
burnt .
25
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
bracelets, and
staff.
26
And
Judah acknowledged them, and
said , She hath been more
righteous than I; because that I
gave her not to
Shelah my
son. And he knew
her again no more.
27
And it came to pass in the
time of her
travail , that, behold,
twins were in her
womb.
28
And it came to pass, when she
travailed , that the one put
out his
hand: and the
midwife took and
bound upon his
hand a scarlet
thread, saying , This came
out first.
29
And it came to pass, as he drew
back his
hand, that, behold, his
brother came
out : and she
said , How hast thou broken
forth ? this
breach be upon thee: therefore his
name was
called Pharez.
30
And
afterward came
out his
brother, that had the scarlet
thread upon his
hand: and his
name was
called Zarah.