New King James Version

King James Bible

1It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah.

1And 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.

2And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her.

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

3So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er.

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

4She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.

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

5And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.

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

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

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

7But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him.

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

8And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.”

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

9But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother.

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.

10And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also.

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

11Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown.” For he said, “Lest he also die like his brothers.” And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.

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.

12Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

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.

13And it was told Tamar, saying, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”

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

14So she took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife.

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.

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

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

16Then he turned to her by the way, and said, “Please let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. So she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?”

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?

17And he said, “I will send a young goat from the flock.” So she said, “Will you give me a pledge till you send it?”

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?

18Then he said, “What pledge shall I give you?” So she said, “Your signet and cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” Then he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him.

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.

19So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.

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

20And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her.

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.

21Then he asked the men of that place, saying, “Where is the harlot who was openly by the roadside?” And they said, “There was no harlot in this place.”

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.

22So he returned to Judah and said, “I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in this place.”

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.

23Then Judah said, “Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her.”

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

24And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry.” So Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!”

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.

25When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man to whom these belong, I am with child.” And she said, “Please determine whose these are—the signet and cord, and staff.”

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.

26So Judah acknowledged them and said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he never knew her again.

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.

27Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb.

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

28And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.”

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.

29Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, “How did you break through? This breach be upon you!” Therefore his name was called Perez.

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.

30Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah.

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

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.