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Genesis 38 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

Judah and Tamar
Sons of Judah

Gen 38:1

Gen 38:1It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah.

Gen 38:2

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

Gen 38:3

Gen 38:3So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er.

Gen 38:4

Gen 38:4She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.

Gen 38:5

Gen 38:5And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.

Gen 38:6

Gen 38:6Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

Gen 38:7

Gen 38:7But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him.

Gen 38:8

Gen 38:8And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.”

Gen 38:9

Gen 38:9But 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.

Gen 38:10

Gen 38:10And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also.

Gen 38:11

Gen 38:11Then 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.

Gen 38:12

Gen 38:12Now 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.

Gen 38:13

Gen 38:13And it was told Tamar, saying, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”

Gen 38:14

Gen 38:14So 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.

Gen 38:15

Gen 38:15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face.

Gen 38:16

Gen 38:16Then 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?”

Gen 38:17

Gen 38:17And he said, “I will send a young goat from the flock.” So she said, “Will you give me a pledge till you send it?”

Gen 38:18

Gen 38:18Then 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.

Gen 38:19

Gen 38:19So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.

Gen 38:20

Gen 38:20And 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.

Gen 38:21

Gen 38:21Then 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.”

Gen 38:22

Gen 38:22So he returned to Judah and said, “I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in this place.”

Gen 38:23

Gen 38:23Then Judah said, “Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her.”

Gen 38:24

Gen 38:24And 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!”

Gen 38:25

Gen 38:25When 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.”

Gen 38:26

Gen 38:26So 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.

Gen 38:27

Gen 38:27Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb.

Gen 38:28

Gen 38:28And 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.”

Gen 38:29

Gen 38:29Then 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.[fn]

Gen 38:30

Gen 38:30Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah.
See the NKJV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).
NKJV Footnotes
Literally Breach or Breakthrough
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