Genesis 38

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.

1At that time Judah left his brothers. He went to stay near a man named Hirah, who lived in Adullam.

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

2There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shuah. He married her and slept with her.

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

3She became pregnant and had a son. Judah named him Er.

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

4She became pregnant again and had another son. She named him Onan.

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

5She had one more son and named him Shelah. She was in a place called Chezib when he was born.

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

6Judah picked a wife for Er, his oldest son. Her name was Tamar.

7And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.

7But Er did evil things, and the LORD saw them. So the LORD took his life.

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

8Judah said to Onan, "Sleep with your brother's wife. That is your job now that he is dead. Any baby will count as your brother's child."

9And 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.

9Onan knew the baby would not count as his own. So every time he slept with her, he kept her from having a baby.

10And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.

10What he did was evil to the LORD. So the LORD took his life too.

11Then 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.

11Then Judah spoke to Tamar, the widow of his son. "Go live at your father's house until my son Shelah grows up," he said. Judah was afraid Shelah might die like his brothers. So Tamar went and lived in her father's house.

12And 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.

12A long time later, Judah's wife died. When Judah was done being sad, he went to the town of Timnath. His workers were cutting the wool off his sheep there. His friend Hirah from Adullam went with him.

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

13Someone told Tamar, "Your husband's father is going to Timnath to cut the wool off his sheep."

14And 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.

14So Tamar took off her widow's clothes. She covered her face with a veil so no one would know her. Then she sat down by the road to Timnath. Shelah was grown up now, but she had not been given to him as a wife.

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

15Judah saw her and thought she was a prostitute. Her face was covered, so he did not know her.

16And 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?

16He walked over to her and said, "Please let me sleep with you." He did not know she was the widow of his son. She said, "What will you give me if I do?"

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

17He said, "I will send you a young goat from my flock." She said, "Then leave me something of yours to keep until you send it."

18And 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"What should I leave you?" he asked. She said, "Your seal and its cord, and the walking stick in your hand." He gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant.

NoteA seal was a small stone with a person's own mark carved into it. It hung on a cord around the neck. People pressed it into soft clay to sign things. Handing over a seal and walking stick was like handing over your name card.

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

19Then Tamar got up and went away. She took off the veil and put her widow's clothes back on.

20And 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.

20Judah sent the young goat with his friend from Adullam. Hirah was supposed to bring back the things Judah had left. But he could not find the woman.

21Then 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.

21He asked the men of that place, "Where is the prostitute who sat right beside the road?" They said, "There has never been a prostitute here."

22And 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.

22So he went back to Judah and said, "I could not find her. The men there said no prostitute was ever there."

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

23Judah said, "Then let her keep the things. If we keep looking, people will laugh at us. I did send the goat, but you could not find her."

24And 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.

24About three months later, someone told Judah, "Tamar has been sleeping with men. Now she is going to have a baby." Judah said, "Bring her out here. Burn her to death!"

25When 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.

25As she was being brought out, Tamar sent a message to Judah. "The man who owns these things is the father of my baby," she said. "Please look closely. Whose seal and cord and walking stick are these?"

26And 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.

26Judah knew they were his. He said, "She has done right, and I have not. I never gave her to my son Shelah." And he never slept with her again.

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

27When it was time for her baby to be born, there were twins inside her.

28And 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.

28While she was giving birth, one baby put out his hand. The midwife, the woman who helps babies be born, tied a red thread on it. She said, "This one came out first."

29And 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.

29But he pulled his hand back inside, and his brother came out first. She said, "So this is how you pushed your way out!" So they named him Pharez.

NoteThe name Pharez sounds like the words for "breaking out" in their language. That is why the midwife said it.

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

30Then his brother came out with the red thread on his hand. They named him Zarah.