1 A nd it came about at that time, that Judah departed from his brothers and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

2 J udah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her and went in to her.

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

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

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

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

7 B ut Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord took his life.

8 T hen 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.”

9 O nan 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.

10 B ut what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord; so He took his life also.

11 T hen 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.

12 N ow 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.

13 I t was told to Tamar, “ Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”

14 S o 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.

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

16 S o 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 H e said, therefore, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” She said, moreover, “Will you give a pledge until you send it ?”

18 H e 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.

19 T hen she arose and departed, and removed her veil and put on her widow’s garments.

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

21 H e 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.”

22 S o 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.’”

23 T hen 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.”

24 N ow 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!”

25 I t 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?”

26 J udah 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.

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

28 M oreover, 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.”

29 B ut 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.

30 A fterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.