1 A t that time, Judah went down from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

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

2 J udah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her, and went in to her.

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

3 S he conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er.

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

4 S he conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan.

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

5 S he yet again bore a son, and named him Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bore him.

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

6 J udah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

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

7 E r, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in Yahweh’s sight. Yahweh killed him.

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

8 J udah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and raise up offspring forl your brother.”

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

9 O nan knew that the offspring wouldn’t be his; and when he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give offspring 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 T he thing which he did was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and he killed him also.

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

11 T hen Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, until Shelah, my son, is grown up”; for he said, “Lest he also die, like his brothers.” Tamar went and lived 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 fter many days, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep shearers to Timnah, 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 T amar was told, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”

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

14 S he took off of her the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she wasn’t given to him as a 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 that she was a prostitute, for 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 H e turned to her by the way, and said, “Please come, let me come in to you,” for he didn’t know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to 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 H e said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” She said, “Will you give me a pledge, until you 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 H e said, “What pledge will I give you?” She said, “Your signet and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” He gave them to her, and came in to 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 S he arose, and went away, and put off her veil 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 J udah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend, the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, but he didn’t find her.

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 her place, saying, “Where is the prostitute, that was at Enaim by the road?” They said, “There has been no prostitute here.”

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 H e returned to Judah, and said, “I haven’t found her; and also the men of the place said, ‘There has been no prostitute here.’”

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 J udah said, “Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this young goat, and you haven’t 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 bout three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute. Moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution.” Judah said, “Bring her out, 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 out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man, whose these are, I am with child.” She also said, “Please discern whose are these—the signet, and the cords, and the 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 J udah acknowledged them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, because I didn’t give her to Shelah, my son.” 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 I n the time of her travail, behold, twins were in her womb.

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

28 W hen she travailed, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, 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 s he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out, and she said, “Why have you made a breach for yourself?” Therefore his name was called Perez.

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 fterward his brother came out, that had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

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