Genesis 38

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 About that time Judah parted from his brothers and pitched his tent near a certain Adullamite named Hirah.	1 About the same time, Judah, descending from his brothers, turned toward an Adullamite man, named Hirah.
2 There he met the daughter of a Canaanite named Shua, married her, and had relations with her.	2 And he saw there the daughter of a man called Shua, of Canaan. And taking her as a wife, he entered to her.
3 She conceived and bore a son, whom she named Er.	3 And she conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Er.
4 Again she conceived and bore a son, whom she named Onan.	4 And conceiving offspring again, having given birth to a son, she called him Onan.
5 Then she bore still another son, whom she named Shelah. They were in Chezib when he was born.	5 Likewise, she bore a third, whom she called Shelah, after whose birth, she ceased to bear any more.
6 Judah got a wife named Tamar for his first-born, Er.	6 Then Judah gave a wife to his first born Er, whose name was Tamar.
7 But Er, Judah's first-born, greatly offended the LORD; so the LORD took his life.	7 And it also happened that Er, the first born of Judah, was wicked in the sight of the Lord and was killed by him.
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."	8 Therefore, Judah said to his son Onan: “Enter to the wife of your brother, and associate with her, so that you may raise offspring to your 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.	9 He, knowing that the sons to be born would not be his, when he entered to the wife of his brother, he spilled his seed on the ground, lest children should be born in his brother’s name.
10 What he did greatly offended the LORD, and the LORD took his life too.	10 And for this reason, the Lord struck him down, because he did a detestable thing.
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.	11 Because of this matter, Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Be a widow in your father’s house, until my son Shelah grows up.” For he was afraid, lest he also might die, just as his brothers did. She went away, and she lived in her father’s house.
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.	12 Then, after many days had passed, the daughter of Shua, the wife of Judah, died. And when he accepted consolation after his mourning, he went up to the shearers of his sheep at Timnah, he and Hirah, the herdsman of the Adullamite flock.
13 When Tamar was told that her father-in-law was on his way up to Timnah to shear his sheep,	13 And it was reported to Tamar that her father-in-law had gone up to Timnah to shear the sheep.
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.	14 And storing away the garments of her widowhood, she took up a veil. And changing her clothing, she sat at the crossroad that leads to Timnah, because Shelah had grown up, and she had not received him as a husband.
15 When Judah saw her, he mistook her for a harlot, since she had covered her face.	15 And when Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot. For she had covered her face, lest she be recognized.
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?"	16 And entering to her, he said, “Permit me to join with you.” For he did not know her to be his daughter-in-law. And she responded, “What will you give to me, to enjoy me as a concubine?”
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."	17 He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And again, she said, “I will allow what you want, if you give me a pledge, until you may send what you promise.”
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.	18 Judah said, “What do you want to be given for a pledge?” She responded, “Your ring and bracelet, and the staff that you hold in your hand.” Thereupon, the woman, from one sexual encounter, conceived.
19 When she went away, she took off her shawl and put on her widow's garb again.	19 And she arose and went away. And storing away the garments that she had taken up, she was clothed in the garments of her widowhood.
20 Judah sent the kid by his friend the Adullamite to recover the pledge from the woman; but he could not find her.	20 Then Judah sent a young goat by his shepherd, the Adullamite, so that he might receive the pledge that he had given to the woman. But, when he had not found her,
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."	21 he questioned the men of that place: “Where is the woman who sat at the crossroad?” And they all responded, “There has been 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."	22 He returned to Judah, and he said to him: “I did not find her. Moreover, the men of that place told me that a prostitute had never sat there.”
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."	23 Judah said: “Let her hold herself to blame. Certainly, she is not able to accuse us of a lie. I sent the young goat that I had promised, and you did not find her.”
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."	24 And behold, after three months, they reported to Judah, saying, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has committed fornication and her abdomen appears to be enlarged.” And Judah said, “Produce her, so that she may be burned.”
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."	25 But when she was led out to the punishment, she sent to her father-in-law, saying: “I conceived by the man to whom these things belong. Recognize whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.”
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.	26 But he, acknowledging the gifts, said: “She is more just than I am. For I did not deliver her to my son Shelah.” However, he knew her no more.
27 When the time of her delivery came, she was found to have twins in her womb.	27 Then, at the moment of birth, there appeared twins in the womb. And so, in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, on which the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying,
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.	28 “This one will go out first.”
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.	29 But in truth, drawing back his hand, the other came out. And the woman said, “Why is the partition divided for you?” And for this reason, she called his name Perez.
30 Afterward his brother came out; he was called Zerah.	30 After this, his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread. And she called him Zerah.