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Genesis 38 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

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Judah and Tamar
Sons of Judah
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:1 - It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:2 - And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:3 - So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:4 - She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:5 - And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:6 - Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:7 - But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:8 - And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:9 - But 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.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:10 - And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:11 - Then 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.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:12 - Now 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.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:13 - And it was told Tamar, saying, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:14 - So 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.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:15 - When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:16 - Then 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?”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:17 - And he said, “I will send a young goat from the flock.” So she said, “Will you give me a pledge till you send it?
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:18 - Then 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.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:19 - So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:20 - And 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.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:21 - Then 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.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:22 - So he returned to Judah and said, “I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in this place.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:23 - Then Judah said, “Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:24 - And 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!”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:25 - When 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.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:26 - So 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.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:27 - Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:28 - And 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.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:29 - Then 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.[fn]
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 38:30 - Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah.
NKJV Footnotes
Literally Breach or Breakthrough
NKJV

New King James Version, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

The text of the New King James Version (NKJV) appearing on or deriving from this or any other web page is for personal use only. Any other use of the NKJV must be in conformity with the Quotation Policy for the New King James Version. For more information about the New King James Version, the Quotation Policy, and for inquiries about permission to use the New King James Version, go to Thomas Nelson, Inc..

For more information on this translation, see the NKJV Preface.

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Genesis Chapter 38 — Additional Translations: