King James New American Standard Bible
  • 1 And 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.
  • 2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.
  • 3 And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.
  • 4 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.
  • 5 And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.
  • 6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.
  • 7 And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
  • 8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
  • 9 And 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.
  • 10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
  • 11 Then 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.
  • 12 And 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.
  • 13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.
  • 14 And 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.
  • 15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.
  • 16 And 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?
  • 17 And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?
  • 18 And 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.
  • 19 And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
  • 20 And 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.
  • 21 Then 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.
  • 22 And 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.
  • 23 And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.
  • 24 And 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.
  • 25 When 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.
  • 26 And 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.
  • 27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
  • 28 And 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.
  • 29 And 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.
  • 30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.
  • 1 And it came about at that time, that Judah departed from his brothers and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
  • 2 Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her and went in to her.
  • 3 So she conceived and bore a son and he named him Er.
  • 4 Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan.
  • 5 She bore still another son and named him Shelah; and it was at Chezib that she bore him.
  • 6 Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
  • 7 But Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD took his life.
  • 8 Then 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 Onan 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 But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD; so He took his life also.
  • 11 Then 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 Now 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 It was told to Tamar, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”
  • 14 So 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 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face.
  • 16 So 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 He 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 He 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 Then she arose and departed, and removed her veil and put on her widow's garments.
  • 20 When 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 He 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 So 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 Then 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 Now 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 It 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 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 have relations with her again.
  • 27 It came about at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb.
  • 28 Moreover, 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 But 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 Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission.