1 I t came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah.

Judah went away from his brothers at that time. He visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah.

2 A nd Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her.

There Judah saw a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her as his wife and lived with her.

3 S o she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er.

And she was going to have a child and gave birth to a son. He gave him the name Er.

4 S he conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.

Then she was going to have another child and she gave birth to a son. She gave him the name Onan.

5 A nd she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.

Then she gave birth to another son at Chezib. And she gave him the name Shelah.

6 T hen Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

Judah chose a wife for his first-born son Er. Her name was Tamar.

7 B ut Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him.

But Er, Judah’s first-born, was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. So the Lord took his life.

8 A nd Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.”

Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife. Do your duty as her brother-in-law. Have children for your brother.”

9 B ut Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother.

But Onan knew that the children would not be his. So when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground to keep his brother from having children.

10 A nd the thing which he did displeased the Lord; therefore He killed him also.

What he did was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. So the Lord took his life also.

11 T hen Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown.” For he said, “Lest he also die like his brothers.” And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.

Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Stay in your father’s house as a woman whose husband has died, until my son Shelah is grown.” For he thought, “I am afraid that he also may die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

12 N ow in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

Now after a long time, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. And after the time of sorrow, Judah and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went to the men who cut the wool from his sheep at Timnah.

13 A nd it was told Tamar, saying, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”

It was told to Tamar, “Your father-in-law is going to Timnah to cut the wool from his sheep.”

14 S o she took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife.

So she took off the clothes of a woman whose husband has died and put on other clothes and covered her face with cloth. Then she sat in the gate of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown, and she had not been given to him for a wife.

15 W hen Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face.

When Judah saw her, he thought she was a woman who sold the use of her body. For she had covered her face.

16 T hen he turned to her by the way, and said, “Please let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. So she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?”

He went to her at the side of the road, and said, “Here now, let me come in to you.” He did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give me to come in to me?”

17 A nd he said, “I will send a young goat from the flock.” So she said, “Will you give me a pledge till you send it? ”

He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” She asked, “Will you give something as a promise until you send it?”

18 T hen he said, “What pledge shall I give you?” So she said, “Your signet and cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” Then he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him.

He said, “What should I give you as a promise?” And she said, “The ring you use to mark your name, and its string, and the stick that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her. And she was going to have a baby by him.

19 S o she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.

Then she got up and left. She took off the cloth that covered her, and put on the clothes worn by a woman whose husband has died.

20 A nd Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her.

Judah sent his friend the Adullamite to bring the young goat to the woman and take from her the things he had given as a promise. But he did not find her.

21 T hen he asked the men of that place, saying, “Where is the harlot who was openly by the roadside?” And they said, “There was no harlot in this place. ”

He asked the men of the place, “Where is the woman who was selling the use of her body beside the road at Enaim?” They said, “There has been no woman selling the use of her body here.”

22 S o he returned to Judah and said, “I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in this place. ”

So he returned to Judah, and said, “I did not find her. The men of the place said, ‘There has been no woman selling the use of her body here.’”

23 T hen Judah said, “Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her.”

Then Judah said, “Let her keep the things, or else we will be laughed at. I sent the young goat, and you did not find her.”

24 A nd it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry.” So Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!”

About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has sold the use of her body. She is going to have a baby by doing this sinful thing.” Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!”

25 W hen she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man to whom these belong, I am with child.” And she said, “Please determine whose these are —the signet and cord, and staff.”

When she was brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “I am going to have a baby by the man who owns these things.” She said, “Look and see, who owns this ring for marking a name, and this string and stick?”

26 S o Judah acknowledged them and said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he never knew her again.

Judah saw that they belonged to him. He said, “She is more right than I, because I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not lie with her again.

27 N ow it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb.

When the time came for Tamar to give birth, there were two babies.

28 A nd so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.”

While she was giving birth, one put out a hand. The nurse took his hand and tied a red string around it, saying, “This one came out first.”

29 T hen it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, “How did you break through? This breach be upon you!” Therefore his name was called Perez.

But when he pulled away his hand, his brother was born. Then she said, “What an opening you have made for yourself!” So he was given the name of Perez.

30 A fterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah.

After that, his brother came out with the red string around his hand. He was given the name Zerah.