| Holman Christian Standard Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1At that time Judah left his brothers and settled near an Adullamite named Hirah. | 1About that time, Judah left his brothers and settled near a man named Hirah, an Adullamite. |
| 2There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite named Shua; he took her as a wife and slept with her. | 2There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua, and he took her as a wife and slept with her. |
| 3She conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him Er. | 3So she conceived and gave birth to a son, and Judah named him Er. |
| 4She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and named him Onan. | 4Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Onan. |
| 5She gave birth to another son and named him Shelah. It was at Chezib that she gave birth to him. | 5Then she gave birth to another son and named him Shelah; it was at Chezib that she gave birth to him. |
| 6Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. | 6Now Judah acquired a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. |
| 7Now Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the LORD's sight, and the LORD put him to death. | 7But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; so the LORD put him to death. |
| 8Then Judah said to Onan, "Sleep with your brother's wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and produce offspring for your brother." | 8Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and raise up offspring for your brother.” |
| 9But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, so whenever he slept with his brother's wife, he released his semen on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother. | 9But Onan knew that the offspring would not belong to him; so whenever he would sleep with his brother’s wife, he would spill his seed on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother. |
| 10What he did was evil in the LORD's sight, so He put him to death also. | 10What he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, so He put Onan to death as well. |
| 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, "He might die too, like his brothers." So Tamar went to live in her father's house. | 11Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s house. |
| 12After a long time Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had finished mourning, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to Timnah to the sheepshearers. | 12After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had finished mourning, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah. |
| 13Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep." | 13When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” |
| 14So she took off her widow's clothes, veiled her face, covered herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had grown up, she had not been given to him as a wife. | 14she removed her widow’s garments, covered her face with a veil to disguise herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that although Shelah had grown up, 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 prostitute because she had covered her face. |
| 16He went over to her and said, "Come, let me sleep with you," for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, "What will you give me for sleeping with me?"" | 16Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.” “What will you give me for sleeping with you?” she inquired. |
| 17I will send you a young goat from my flock," he replied. But she said, "Only if you leave something with me until you send it."" | 17“I will send you a young goat from my flock,” Judah answered. But she replied, “Only if you leave me something as a pledge until you send it.” |
| 18What should I give you?" he asked. She answered, "Your signet ring, your cord, and the staff in your hand." So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she got pregnant by him. | 18“What pledge should I give you?” he asked. She answered, “Your seal and your cord, and the staff in your hand.” So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. |
| 19She got up and left, then removed her veil and put her widow's clothes back on. | 19Then Tamar got up and departed. And she removed her veil and put on her widow’s garments again. |
| 20When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get back the items he had left with the woman, he could not find her. | 20Now when Judah sent his friend Hirah the Adullamite with the young goat to collect the items he had left with the woman, he could not find her. |
| 21He asked the men of the place, "Where is the cult prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?"" There has been no cult prostitute here," they answered. | 21He asked the men of that place, “Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?” “No shrine prostitute has been here,” they answered. |
| 22So the Adullamite returned to Judah, saying, "I couldn't find her, and furthermore, the men of the place said, 'There has been no cult prostitute here.'" | 22So Hirah returned to Judah and said, “I could not find her, and furthermore, the men of that place said, ‘No shrine prostitute has been here.’ ” |
| 23Judah replied, "Let her keep the items for herself; otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send this young goat, but you couldn't find her." | 23“Let her keep the items,” Judah replied. “Otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you could not find her.” |
| 24About three months later Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law, Tamar, has been acting like a prostitute, and now she is pregnant."" Bring her out!" Judah said. "Let her be burned to death!" | 24About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!” |
| 25As she was being brought out, she sent her father-in-law this message: "I am pregnant by the man to whom these items belong." And she added, "Examine them. Whose signet ring, cord, and staff are these?" | 25As she was being brought out, Tamar sent a message to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these items belong.” And she added, “Please examine them. Whose seal and cord and staff are these?” |
| 26Judah recognized them and said, "She is more in the right than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah." And he did not know her intimately again. | 26Judah recognized the items and said, “She is more righteous than I, since 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 twins in her womb. | 27When the time came for Tamar to give birth, there were twins in her womb. |
| 28As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand, and the midwife took it and tied a scarlet thread around it, announcing, "This one came out first." | 28And as she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it around his wrist. “This one came out first,” she announced. |
| 29But then he pulled his hand back, and his brother came out. Then she said, "You have broken out first!" So he was named Perez. | 29But when he pulled his hand back and his brother came out, she said, “You have broken out first!” So he was named Perez. |
| 30Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread tied to his hand, came out, and was named Zerah. | 30Then his brother came out with the scarlet thread around his wrist, and he was named Zerah. |
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