NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1At that time Judah left his brothers and stayed with an Adullamite man 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 saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. Judah acquired her as a wife and had marital relations with 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 had a son. Judah named him Er.

3So she conceived and bore a son and he named him Er.

4She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan.

4Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan.

5Then she had yet another son, whom she named Shelah. She gave birth to him in Kezib.

5She bore still another son and named him Shelah; and it was at Chezib that she bore him.

6Judah acquired a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar.

6Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

7But Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the LORD's sight, so the LORD killed him.

7But Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD took his life.

8Then Judah said to Onan, "Have sexual relations with your brother's wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise up a descendant 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 considered his. So whenever he had sexual relations with his brother's wife, he withdrew prematurely so as not to give his brother a descendant.

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 evil in the LORD's sight, so the LORD killed him too.

10But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD; so He took his life also.

11Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Live as a widow in your father's house until Shelah my son grows up." For he thought, "I don't want him to die like his brothers." So Tamar went and lived in her father's house.

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 some time Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah was consoled, he left for Timnah to visit his sheepshearers, along with his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

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.

13Tamar was told, "Look, your father-in-law is going up 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."

14So she removed her widow's clothes and covered herself with a veil. She wrapped herself and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the way to Timnah. (She did this because she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.)

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 because she had covered her face.

15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face.

16He turned aside to her along the road and said, "Come on! I want to have sex with you." (He did not realize it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, "What will you give me in exchange for having sex with you?"

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?"

17He replied, "I'll send you a young goat from the flock." She asked, "Will you give me a pledge until you send it?"

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?" She replied, "Your seal, your cord, and the staff that's in your hand." So he gave them to her and had sex with her. 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.

19She left immediately, removed her veil, and put on her widow's clothes.

19Then she arose and departed, and removed her veil and put on her widow's garments.

20Then Judah had his friend Hirah the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge, but Hirah could 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 were there, "Where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim by the road?" But they replied, "There has been no cult prostitute here."

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 returned to Judah and said, "I couldn't find her. Moreover, the men of the place said, 'There has been no cult 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.'"

23Judah said, "Let her keep the things for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest. I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn'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."

24After three months Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution, and as a result she has become pregnant." Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!"

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!"

25While they were bringing her out, she sent word to her father-in-law: "I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong." Then she said, "Identify the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong."

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 upright than I am, because I wouldn't give her to Shelah my son." He did not have sexual relations 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 it was time for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb.

27It came about at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb.

28While she was giving birth, one child put out his hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, "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 then he drew back his hand, and his brother came out before him. She said, "How you have broken out of the womb!" So 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.

30Afterward his brother came out--the one who had the scarlet thread on his hand--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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