Genesis38

Genesis chapter 38 recounts Judah's departure from his brethren and his family's lineage. His first two sons, Er and Onan, are slain by the LORD due to their wickedness and refusal to fulfill the levirate marriage custom with Tamar, Er's widow. Judah delays giving his third son, Shelah, to Tamar, leading her to disguise herself as a harlot and conceive by Judah himself. When her pregnancy is discovered, Tamar reveals Judah's signet, bracelets, and staff as proof, leading Judah to acknowledge her righteousness, and she gives birth to twins, Pharez and Zarah.

Judah Settles in Canaan

1
And at that time Iudah went downe from his brethren, and turned in to a man called Hirah an Adullamite.
2
And Iudah sawe there the daughter of a man called Suah a Canaanite: and he tooke her to wife, and went in vnto her.
3
So she conceiued and bare a sonne, and he called his name Er.
4
And she conceiued againe, and bare a sonne, and she called his name Onan.
5
Moreouer she bare yet a sonne, whome she called Shelah: and Iudah was at Chezib when she bare him.

Er and Onan Die

6
Then Iudah tooke a wife to Er his first borne sonne whose name was Tamar.
7
Now Er the first borne of Iudah was wicked in the sight of the Lord: therefore the Lord slewe him.
8
Then Iudah said to Onan, Goe in vnto thy brothers wife, and do the office of a kinsman vnto her, and raise vp seede vnto thy brother.
9
And Onan knewe that the seede should not be his: therefore when he went in vnto his brothers wife, he spilled it on the grounde, least he should giue seede vnto his brother.
10
And it was wicked in the eyes of the Lord, which he did: wherefore he slewe him also.
11
Then said Iudah to Tamar his daughter in lawe, Remaine a widowe in thy fathers house, till Shelah my sonne growe vp (for he thought thus, Least he die as well as his brethren.) So Tamar went and dwelt in her fathers house.

Tamar Deceives Judah

12
And in processe of time also the daughter of Shuah Iudahs wife dyed. Then Iudah, when he had left mourning, went vp to his sheepe sherers to Timnah, he, and his neighbour Hirah the Adullamite.
13
And it was tolde Tamar, saying, beholde, thy father in lawe goeth vp to Timnah, to shere his sheepe.
14
Then she put her widowes garments off from her, and couered her with a vaile, and wrapped her selfe, and sate downe in Pethah-enaim, which is by the way to Timnah, because she sawe that Shelah was growen, and she was not giuen vnto him to wife.
15
When Iudah sawe her, he iudged her an whore: for she had couered her face.
16
And he turned to the way towardes her, and saide, Come, I pray thee, let me lie with thee. (for he knewe not that she was his daughter in lawe) And she answered, What wilt thou giue me for to lie with me?
17
Then said he, I will sende thee a kid of the goates from the flocke. and she said, Well, if thou wilt giue me a pledge, till thou sende it.
18
Then he saide, What is the pledge that I shall giue thee? And she answered, Thy signet, and thy cloke, and thy staffe that is in thine hande. So he gaue it her, and lay by her, and she was with childe by him.
19
Then she rose, and went and put her vaile from her and put on her widowes raiment.
20
Afterwarde Iudah sent a kid of the goates by the hande of his neighbour the Adullamite, for to receiue his pledge from the womans hand: but he found her not.
21
Then asked he the men of that place, saying, Where is ye whore, that sate in Enaim by the way side? And they answered, There was no whore here.
22
He came therefore to Iudah againe, and said, I can not finde her, and also the men of the place said, There was no whore there.
23
Then Iudah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: beholde, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

Judah Judges and Acknowledges

24
Now after three moneths, one tolde Iudah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the whore, and lo, with playing the whore, she is great with childe. Then Iudah saide, Bring ye her foorth and let her be burnt.
25
When she was brought foorth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, vnto whom these things pertaine, am I with childe: and saide also, Looke, I pray thee, whose these are, the seale, and the cloke, and the staffe.
26
Then Iudah knewe them, and said, She is more righteous then I: for she hath done it because I gaue her not to Shelah my sonne. So he lay with her no more.

The Birth of Pharez and Zarah

27
Now, when the time was come that she should be deliuered, beholde, there were twinnes in her wombe.
28
And when she was in trauell, the one put out his hand: and the midwife tooke and bound a red threde about his hand, saying, This is come out first.
29
But when he plucked his hand backe againe, loe, his brother came out, and the midwife said, How hast thou broken the breach vpon thee? and his name was called Pharez.
30
And afterward came out his brother that had the red threde about his hande, and his name was called Zarah.
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