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 Shuah
; and he took her
, and went in
unto her.
And she conceived, and bare
a son
; and he called
his name
Er
.
And she conceived again, and bare
a son
; and she called
his name
Onan
.
And she yet again conceived, and bare
a son
; and called
his name
Shelah
: and he was at Chezib
, when she bare
him.
And Judah took
a wife
for Er
his firstborn
, whose name
was Tamar
.
And Er, Judah's
firstborn
, 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 marry
her, and raise up
seed
to thy brother
.
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
.
And the thing which he did
displeased
the LORD
: wherefore he slew
him also.
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
.
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
.
And it was told Tamar
, saying
, Behold thy father in law
goeth up
to Timnath
to shear
his sheep
.
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
.
When Judah saw her
, he thought
her to be an harlot
; because she had covered
her face
.
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?
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 ?
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.
And she arose, and went away
, and laid by
her vail
from her, and put on
the garments
of her widowhood
.
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.
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 .
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 .
And Judah said
, Let her take
it to her, lest we be shamed
: 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 also, behold, she is with child
by whoredom
. 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 bracelets
, and staff
.
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.
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 the one put out
his 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
, How hast thou broken forth
? this breach
be upon thee: therefore his name
was called
Pharez
.
And afterward came out
his brother
, that had the scarlet thread
upon his hand
: and his name
was called
Zarah
.