Genesis 38
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New International VersionNew American Standard Bible 1995
1At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah.1And it came about at that time, that Judah departed from his brothers and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
2There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and made love to her;2Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her and went in to her.
3she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er.3So she conceived and bore a son and he named him Er.
4She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan.4Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan.
5She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.5She bore still another son and named him Shelah; and it was at Chezib that she bore him.
6Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.6Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
7But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the LORD's sight; so the LORD put him to death.7But Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD took his life.
8Then Judah said to Onan, "Sleep with your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother."8Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother."
9But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother.9Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother's wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother.
10What he did was wicked in the LORD's sight; so the LORD put him to death also.10But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD; so He took his life also.
11Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Live as a widow in your father's household until my son Shelah grows up." For he thought, "He may die too, just like his brothers." So Tamar went to live in her father's household.11Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Remain a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up"; for he thought, "I am afraid that he too may die like his brothers." So Tamar went and lived in her father's house.
12After a long time Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him.12Now after a considerable time Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and when the time of mourning was ended, Judah went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
13When Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,"13It was told to Tamar, "Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep."
14she took off her widow's clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.14So she removed her widow's garments and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gateway of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she had not been given to him as a wife.
15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face.
16Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, "Come now, let me sleep with you." "And what will you give me to sleep with you?" she asked.16So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, "Here now, let me come in to you"; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?"
17"I'll send you a young goat from my flock," he said. "Will you give me something as a pledge until you send it?" she asked.17He said, therefore, "I will send you a young goat from the flock." She said, moreover, "Will you give a pledge until you send it?"
18He said, "What pledge should I give you?" "Your seal and its cord, and the staff in your hand," she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him.18He said, "What pledge shall I give you?" And she said, "Your seal and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand." So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.
19After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow's clothes again.19Then she arose and departed, and removed her veil and put on her widow's garments.
20Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from the woman, but he did not find her.20When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman's hand, he did not find her.
21He asked the men who lived there, "Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?" "There hasn't been any shrine prostitute here," they said.21He asked the men of her place, saying, "Where is the temple prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?" But they said, "There has been no temple prostitute here."
22So he went back to Judah and said, "I didn't find her. Besides, the men who lived there said, 'There hasn't been any shrine prostitute here.'"22So he returned to Judah, and said, "I did not find her; and furthermore, the men of the place said, 'There has been no temple prostitute here.'"
23Then Judah said, "Let her keep what she has, or we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn't find her."23Then Judah said, "Let her keep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her."
24About three months later Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant." Judah said, "Bring her out and have her burned to death!"24Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry." Then Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!"
25As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. "I am pregnant by the man who owns these," she said. And she added, "See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are."25It was while she was being brought out that she sent to her father-in-law, saying, "I am with child by the man to whom these things belong." And she said, "Please examine and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?"
26Judah recognized them and said, "She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn't give her to my son Shelah." And he did not sleep with her again.26Judah recognized them, and said, "She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah." And he did not have relations with her again.
27When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb.27It came about at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb.
28As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said, "This one came out first."28Moreover, it took place while she was giving birth, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, "This one came out first."
29But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out, and she said, "So this is how you have broken out!" And he was named Perez.29But it came about as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out. Then she said, "What a breach you have made for yourself!" So he was named Perez.
30Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist, came out. And he was named Zerah.30Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.
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Genesis 37
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