Genesis 38

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
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.	1 About that time Judah parted from his brothers and pitched his tent near a certain Adullamite named 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.	2 There he met the daughter of a Canaanite named Shua, married her, and had relations with her.
3 And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.	3 She conceived and bore a son, whom she named Er.
4 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.	4 Again she conceived and bore a son, whom she named 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.	5 Then she bore still another son, whom she named Shelah. They were in Chezib when he was born.
6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.	6 Judah got a wife named Tamar for his first-born, Er.
7 And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.	7 But Er, Judah's first-born, greatly offended the LORD; so the LORD took his life.
8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.	8 Then Judah said to Onan, "Unite with your brother's widow, in fulfillment of your duty as brother-in-law, and thus preserve your brother's line."
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.	9 Onan, however, knew that the descendants would not be counted as his; so whenever he had relations with his brother's widow, he wasted his seed on the ground, to avoid contributing offspring for his brother.
10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.	10 What he did greatly offended the LORD, and the LORD took his life too.
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.	11 Thereupon Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Stay as a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up"--for he feared that Shelah also might die like his brothers. So Tamar went to live 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.	12 Years passed, and Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah completed the period of mourning, he went up to Timnah for the shearing of his sheep, in company with 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.	13 When Tamar was told that her father-in-law was on his way up to Timnah 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.	14 she took off her widow's garb, veiled her face by covering herself with a shawl, and sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah; for she was aware that, although Shelah was now grown up, she had not been given to him in marriage.
15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.	15 When Judah saw her, he mistook her for a harlot, since 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?	16 So he went over to her at the roadside, and not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he said, "Come, let me have intercourse with you." She replied, "What will you pay me for letting you have intercourse with 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?	17 He answered, "I will send you a kid from the flock." "Very well," she said, "provided you leave a pledge until you 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.	18 Judah asked, "What pledge am I to give to you?" She answered, "Your seal and cord, and the staff you carry." So he gave them to her and had intercourse with 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.	19 When she went away, she took off her shawl and put on her widow's garb again.
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.	20 Judah sent the kid by his friend the Adullamite to recover the pledge from the woman; but he could not find her.
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.	21 So he asked the men of the place, "Where is the temple prostitute, the one by the roadside in Enaim?" But they answered, "There has never been a temple prostitute here."
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.	22 He went back to Judah and told him, "I could not find her; and besides, the men of the place said there was no temple prostitute there."
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.	23 "Let her keep the things," Judah replied; "otherwise we shall become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her the kid, even though you were unable to find 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.	24 About three months later, Judah was told that his daughter-in-law Tamar had played the harlot and was then with child from her harlotry. "Bring her out," cried Judah; "she shall be burned."
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.	25 But as they were bringing her out, she sent word to her father-in-law, "It is by the man to whom these things belong that I am with child. Please verify," she added, "whose seal and cord and whose staff these are."
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.	26 Judah recognized them and said, "She is more in the right than I am, since I did not give her to my son Shelah." But he had no further relations with her.
27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.	27 When the time of her delivery came, she was found to have twins 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,	28 While she was giving birth, one infant put out his hand; and the midwife, taking a crimson thread, tied it on his hand, to note that this one 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.	29 But as he withdrew his hand, his brother came out; and she said, "What a breach you have made for yourself!" So he was called Perez.
30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.	30 Afterward his brother came out; he was called Zerah.