Genesis 38 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Judah and Tamar

Now it happened^H1961 at that time^H6256 that Judah^H3063 went^H3381 down^H3381 from his brothers^H251 and turned^H5186 aside^H5186 to a certain^H376 Adullamite^H5726, whose name^H8034 was Hirah^H2437.

Gen 38:2

Gen 38:2And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her and went in to her.

Gen 38:3

Gen 38:3So she conceived and bore a son, and he named him Er.

Gen 38:4

Gen 38:4Then she conceived again and bore a son, and she named him Onan.

Gen 38:5

Gen 38:5And she bore still another son, and she named him Shelah; and it was at Chezib [fn]that she bore him.

Gen 38:6

Then Judah^H3063 took^H3947 a wife^H802 for Er^H6147 his firstborn^H1060, and her name^H8034 was Tamar^H8559.

Gen 38:7

Gen 38:7But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of Yahweh, so Yahweh put him to death.

Gen 38:8

Gen 38:8Then 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 a seed for your brother.”

Gen 38:9

Gen 38:9And Onan knew that the seed would not be his; and it happened that when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted it on the ground in order not to give seed to his brother.

Gen 38:10

Gen 38:10But what he did was displeasing in the sight of Yahweh; so He put him to death also.

Gen 38:11

Gen 38:11Then 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 [fn]thought, “I am afraid lest he also die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

Gen 38:12

And [fn]after a considerable^H7235 time^H3117, Shua’s^H7770 daughter^H1323, the wife^H802 of Judah^H3063, died^H4191. Then Judah^H3063 was comforted^H5162, and he went^H5927 up^H5927 to his sheepshearers^H6629^H1494 at Timnah^H8553, he and his friend^H7453 Hirah^H2437 the Adullamite^H5726.

Gen 38:13

Gen 38:13Then it was told to Tamar, “[fn]Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”

Gen 38:14

Gen 38:14So she removed her widow’s garments from herself and covered herself with a [fn]veil and wrapped herself. And she sat at the entrance of [fn]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.

Gen 38:15

Gen 38:15Then Judah saw her, and he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face.

Gen 38:16

Gen 38:16So 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?”

Gen 38:17

Gen 38:17He said, therefore, “I will send you a [fn]young goat from the flock.” She said, moreover, “Will you give a pledge until you send it?”

Gen 38:18

Gen 38:18Then he said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said, “Your signet 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.

Gen 38:19

Gen 38:19Then she arose and went. And she removed her [fn]veil from herself and put on her widow’s garments.

Gen 38:20

Then Judah^H3063 sent^H7971 the [fn]young^H1423^H5795 goat^H1423^H5795 by his friend^H7453 the Adullamite^H5726 to take^H3947 the pledge^H6162 from the woman’s^H802 hand^H3027, but he did not find^H4672 her.

Gen 38:21

Gen 38:21So he asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the cult prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?” But they said, “There has been no cult prostitute here.”

Gen 38:22

Gen 38:22So he returned to Judah and said, “I did not find her; and furthermore, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’”

Gen 38:23

Gen 38:23Then Judah said, “Let her [fn]keep them, lest we become a laughingstock. Behold, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.”

Gen 38:24

Now it happened about three^H7969 months^H2320 later^H4480 that it was told^H5046 to Judah^H3063 saying^H559, “[fn]Your daughter-in-law^H3618 Tamar^H8559 has played^H2181 the^H2181 harlot^H2181, and behold^H2009, she is also^H1571 with child^H2030 by harlotry^H2183.” Then Judah^H3063 said^H559, “Bring^H3318 her out^H3318 and let her be burned^H8313!”

Gen 38:25

Gen 38:25It 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 recognize this and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?”

Gen 38:26

Gen 38:26And Judah 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 [fn]know her again.

Gen 38:27

Now it happened^H1961 at the time^H6256 she was giving^H3205 birth^H3205, that behold^H2009, there were twins^H8380 in her womb^H990.

Gen 38:28

Gen 38:28And it happened, 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.”

Gen 38:29

Gen 38:29And then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out. So she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” So he was named [fn]Perez.

Gen 38:30