¶ And it came¹ to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned² in to a certain Adullamite³, whose name was Hirah.

And Judah saw⁴ there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah⁵; and he took⁶ her, and went in unto her.

And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er⁷.

And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan⁸.

And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah⁹: and he was at Chezib¹⁰, when she bare him.

And Judah took¹¹ a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar¹².

And Er¹³, Judah's firstborn, was wicked¹⁴ in the sight of the LORD; and the¹⁵ LORD slew him.

And Judah said unto Onan, Go in¹⁶ unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

And Onan knew that the seed should not be his;¹⁷ and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that¹⁸ he should give seed to his brother.

¶ And the thing which he did displeased¹⁹ the LORD: wherefore he slew him also²⁰.

Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah²¹ my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her²² father's house.

¶ And in process of time²³ the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers²⁴ to Timnath²⁵, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath²⁶ to shear²⁷ his sheep.

And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat²⁸ in an open place²⁹, which is by the way to Timnath³⁰; for she saw that Shelah³¹ was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.

When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot³²; because³³ she had covered³⁴ her face.

And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to³⁵, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt³⁶ thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?

And he said, I will³⁷ send thee a kid³⁸ from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?

And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet³⁹, and thy bracelets⁴⁰, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her,⁴¹ and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.

And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail⁴² from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

¶ And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend⁴³ the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.

Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side⁴⁴? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.

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.

And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we⁴⁵ be shamed⁴⁶: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

¶ And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot⁴⁷; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her⁴⁸ be burnt.

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, Discern⁴⁹, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.

And Judah acknowledged⁵⁰ them, and said, She hath⁵¹ been more righteous⁵² than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew⁵³ her again no more.

And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins⁵⁴ were in her womb.

And it came to pass,⁵⁵ when she travailed⁵⁶, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife⁵⁷ took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread⁵⁸, saying, This came out first.

And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast⁵⁹ thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name⁶⁰ was called Pharez⁶¹.

¶ And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah⁶².