(KJV) Genesis 38¹

⥃Judah and Tamar ^{[ 1 Chronicles 2:3–4 ]}

[1] And it came² to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned³ in to a certain Adullamite⁴, whose name [was] Hirah.⁵ [2] And Judah saw⁶ there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name [was] Shuah⁷; and he took⁸ her, and went in unto her. [3] And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er⁹.¹⁰ [4] And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan¹¹.¹² [5] And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah¹³: and he was at Chezib¹⁴, when she bare him.¹⁵ [6] And Judah took¹⁶ a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name [was] Tamar¹⁷. [7] And Er¹⁸, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked¹⁹ in the sight of the Lord; and the²⁰ Lord slew him. [8] And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.²¹ [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 that²² he should give seed to his brother.²³ [10] And the thing which he did displeased²⁴ the Lord: wherefore he slew him also²⁵. [11] Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah²⁶ my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren [did]. And Tamar went and dwelt in her²⁷ father’s house.

[12] And in process of time²⁸ the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath²⁹, he and 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. [14] And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat³⁰ in an open place³¹, which [is] by the way to Timnath³²; for she saw that Shelah³³ was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. [15] When Judah saw her, he thought her [to be] an harlot; because she had covered her face. [16] And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to³⁴, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she [was] his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt³⁵ thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? [17] And he said, I will³⁶ send [thee] a kid³⁷ from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou³⁸ give [me] a pledge, till thou send [it]? [18] And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet³⁹, and thy bracelets⁴⁰, and thy staff that [is] in thine hand. And he gave [it] her⁴¹, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. [19] And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail⁴² from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. [20] And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend⁴³ the Adullamite, to receive [his] pledge from the woman’s hand: but he found her not. [21] Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where [is] the harlot, that [was] openly by the way side⁴⁴? And they said, There was no harlot in this [place]. [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]. [23] And Judah said, Let her take [it] to her, lest we⁴⁵ be shamed⁴⁶: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found 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 harlot⁴⁷; and also, behold, she [is] with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her⁴⁸ be burnt. [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, Discern⁴⁹, I pray thee, whose [are] these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. [26] And Judah acknowledged⁵⁰ [them], and said, She hath⁵¹ been more righteous⁵² than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew⁵³ her again no more.

⥃The Birth of Perez and Zerah

[27] [¶]And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins [were] 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. [29] And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast⁵⁴ thou broken forth? [this] breach [be] upon thee: therefore his name⁵⁵ was called Pharez⁵⁶.⁵⁷ [30] And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah⁵⁸.