1 A nd 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.

At that time Judah withdrew from his brothers and went to a certain Adullamite named Hirah.

2 A nd Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.

There Judah saw and met a daughter of Shuah, a Canaanite; he took her as wife and lived with her.

3 A nd she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.

And she became pregnant and bore a son, and he called him Er.

4 A nd she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.

And she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan.

5 A nd she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.

Again she conceived and bore a son and named him Shelah. at Chezib when she bore him.

6 A nd Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.

Now Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn; her name was Tamar.

7 A nd Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him.

And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord slew him.

8 A nd Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

Then Judah told Onan, Marry your brother’s widow; live with her and raise offspring for your brother.

9 A nd 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.

But Onan knew that the family would not be his, so when he cohabited with his brother’s widow, he prevented conception, lest he should raise up a child for his brother.

10 A nd the thing which he did displeased the Lord: wherefore he slew him also.

And the thing which he did displeased the Lord; therefore He slew him also.

11 T hen 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.

Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow at your father’s house till Shelah my son is grown; for he thought, Lest perhaps he would die also, as his brothers did. So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

12 A nd 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.

But later Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shuah, died; and when Judah was comforted, he went up to his sheepshearers at Timnath with his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13 A nd it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.

Then it was told Tamar, Listen, your father-in-law is going up to Timnath to shear his sheep.

14 A nd 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.

So she put off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapped herself up, and sat in the entrance of Enaim, which is by the road to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown and she was not given to him as his wife.

15 W hen Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.

When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot or devoted prostitute, for she had covered her face.

16 A nd 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?

He turned to her by the road and said, Come, let me have intercourse with you; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, What will you give me that you may have intercourse with me?

17 A nd he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?

He answered, I will send you a kid from the flock. And she said, Will you give me a pledge (deposit) until you send it?

18 A nd 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 he said, What pledge shall I give you? She said, Your signet, your cord, and your staff that is in your hand. And he gave them to her and came in to her, and she became pregnant by him.

19 A nd she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

And she arose and went away and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.

20 A nd 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.

And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand; but he was unable to find her.

21 T hen 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.

He asked the men of that place, Where is the harlot or cult prostitute who was openly by the roadside? They said, There was no harlot or temple prostitute here.

22 A nd 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.

So he returned to Judah and said, I cannot find her; and also the local men said, There was no harlot or temple prostitute around here.

23 A nd Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

And Judah said, Let her keep for herself, lest we be made ashamed. I sent this kid, but you have not found her.

24 A nd 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.

But about three months later Judah was told, Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot, and also she is with child by her lewdness. And Judah said, Bring her forth and let her be burned!

25 W hen 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.

When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, I am with child by the man to whom these articles belong. Then she added, Make out clearly, I pray you, to whom these belong, the signet, cord, and staff.

26 A nd 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 Judah acknowledged them and said, She has been more righteous and just than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son. And he did not cohabit with her again.

27 A nd it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.

Now when the time came for her to be delivered, behold, there were twins in her womb.

28 A nd 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 when she was in labor, one baby put out his hand; and the midwife took his hand and bound upon it a scarlet thread, saying, This baby was born first.

29 A nd 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.

But he drew back his hand, and behold, his brother was born first. And she said, What a breaking forth you have made for yourself! Therefore his name was called Perez.

30 A nd afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

And afterward his brother who had the scarlet thread on his hand was born and was named Zerah.