Chapter 38

  And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a man of Adullam whose name was Hirah.  

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  And Judah saw there the daughter of a Canaanitish man whose name was Shua; and he took her, and went in to her.  

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  And she conceived and bore a son; and he called his name Er.  

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  And she again conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.  

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  And again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah; and he was at Chezib when she bore him.  

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  And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.  

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  And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah slew him.  

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  Then Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and fulfil to her the brother-in-law's duty, and raise up seed to thy brother.  

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  But when Onan knew that the seed should not be his own, it came to pass when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled [it] on the ground, in order to give no seed to his brother.  

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  And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and he slew him also.  

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  And Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow in thy father's house, until Shelah my son is grown; for he said, Lest he die also, as his brethren. And Tamar went and remained in her father's house.  

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  And as the days were multiplied, Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. And Judah was comforted, and he went up to his sheep-shearers, to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.  

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  And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.  

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  And she put the garments of her widowhood off from her, and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the entry of Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as wife.  

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  And Judah saw her, and took her for a harlot; because she had covered her face.  

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  And he turned aside to her by the way, and said, Come, I pray thee, let me go in to thee; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in to me?  

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  And he said, I will send [thee] a kid of the goats from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give [me] a pledge, until thou send it?  

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  And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy lace, and thy staff which is in thy hand. And he gave [it] her, and went in to her; and she conceived by him.  

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  And she arose and went away; and she laid by her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.  

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  And Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman's hand; but he found her not.  

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  And he asked the men of her place, saying, Where is the prostitute that was at Enaim, by the way-side? And they said, There was no prostitute here.  

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  And he returned to Judah, and said, I have not found her; and also the men of the place said, No prostitute has been here.  

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  Then Judah said, Let her take [it] for herself, lest we be put to shame. Behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.  

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  And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law has committed fornication, and behold, she is also with child by fornication. And Judah said, Bring her forth, that she may be burned.  

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  When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man to whom these [belong] am I with child; and she said, Acknowledge, I pray thee, whose are this signet, and this lace, and this staff.  

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  And Judah acknowledged [them], and said, She is more righteous than I, because I have not given her to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.  

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  And it came to pass at the time of her delivery, that behold, twins were in her womb.  

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  And it came to pass when she brought forth, that one stretched out [his] hand, and the midwife took it and bound round his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.  

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  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! on thee be the breach! And they called his name Pherez.  

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  And afterwards came out his brother, round whose hand was the scarlet thread; and they called his name Zerah.  

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