Genesis 38 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Judah and Tamar

38 It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and settled near a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. 2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; he married her and went in to her. 3 She conceived and bore a son, and he named him Er.(A)4 Again she conceived and bore a son whom she named Onan. 5 Yet again she bore a son, and she named him Shelah. She[a] was in Chezib when she bore him. 6 Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death.(B)8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her; raise up offspring for your brother.”(C)9 But since Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, he spilled his semen on the ground whenever he went in to his brother’s wife, so that he would not give offspring to his brother.(D)10 What he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death 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 feared that he too would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.(E)

12 In course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died; when Judah’s time of mourning was over,[b] he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.(F)13 When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she put off her widow’s garments, put on a veil, wrapped herself up, and sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. She saw that Shelah was grown up, yet she had not been given to him in marriage.(G)15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He went over to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17 He answered, “I will send you a kid from the flock.” And she said, “Only if you give me a pledge until you send it.”(H)18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord and the staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.(I)19 Then she got up and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.(J)

20 When Judah sent the kid by his friend the Adullamite to recover the pledge from the woman, he could not find her. 21 He asked the townspeople, “Where is the prostitute who was at Enaim by the wayside?” But they said, “No prostitute has been here.” 22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I have not found her; moreover, the townspeople said, ‘No prostitute has been here.’ ” 23 Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, otherwise we will be laughed at; you see, I sent this kid, and you could not find her.”

24 About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself; moreover, she is pregnant as a result of prostitution.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.”(K)25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “It was the owner of these who made me pregnant.” And she said, “Take note, please, whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.”(L)26 Then Judah acknowledged them and said, “She is more in the right than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not lie with her again.(M)

27 When the time of her delivery came, there were twins in her womb. 28 While she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and bound on his hand a crimson thread, saying, “This one came out first.” 29 But just then he drew back his hand and out came his brother, and she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore he was named Perez.[c](N)30 Afterward his brother came out with the crimson thread on his hand, and he was named Zerah.[d]

Footnotes

  1. 38.5Gk: Heb He
  2. 38.12Heb when Judah was comforted
  3. 38.29That is, a breach
  4. 38.30That is, brightness, perhaps alluding to the crimson thread

Cross references

  1. 38.3 : Gen 46.12; Num 26.19
  2. 38.7 : 1 Chr 2.3
  3. 38.8 : Deut 25.5; Mt 22.24
  4. 38.9 : Deut 25.6
  5. 38.11 : Ruth 1.12, 13
  6. 38.12 : Josh 15.10, 57
  7. 38.14 : vv 11, 26
  8. 38.17 : v 20; Ezek 16.33
  9. 38.18 : v 25
  10. 38.19 : v 14
  11. 38.24 : Lev 21.9; Deut 22.21
  12. 38.25 : v 18
  13. 38.26 : v 14; 1 Sam 24.17
  14. 38.29 : Gen 46.12; Num 26.20; Mt 1.3

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Genesis 38 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

38 And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Judah goeth down from his brethren, and turneth aside unto a man, an Adullamite, whose name [is] Hirah; 2 and Judah seeth there the daughter of a man, a Canaanite, whose name [is] Shuah, and taketh her, and goeth in unto her. 3 And she conceiveth, and bea...
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Genesis 38 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

38 In the same time, Judah went down from his brethren, and turned to a man of Adullam, Hirah by name; (At that time, Judah went forth from his brothers, and came to a man of Adullam, named Hirah;) 2 and he saw there a daughter of a man of Canaan, Shuah by name. And when he had taken her to wife, he...
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Genesis 38 - World English Bible (WEB)

38 At that time, Judah went down from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 There, Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite man named Shua. He took her, and went in to her. 3 She conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er. 4 She conceived again, and bore...
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Genesis 38 - The Voice (VOICE)

38 It was about this time that Judah decided to leave home, so he parted company with his brothers and went to see Hirah, a fellow from Adullam. 2 When he was there, Judah laid eyes on the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and slept with her. 3 She conceived and gave birth to ...
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Genesis 38 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Judah and Tamar38 About that time Judah went down from his brothers and he camped near an Adullamite man, whose name was Hirah. 2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man whose name was Shua, and he took her as wife and slept with her. 3 Then she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and...
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Genesis 38 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Judah and Tamar38 It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adul′lamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; he married her and went in to her, 3 and she conceived and bore a son, and he ...
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Genesis 38 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Judah and Tamar38 It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; he married her and went in to her, 3 and she conceived and bore a son, and he c...
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Genesis 38 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Judah and Tamar38 It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and settled near a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. 2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; he married her and went in to her. 3 She conceived and bore a son; and he named h...
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Genesis 38 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Judah and Tamar38 It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and settled near a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. 2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; he married her and went in to her. 3 She conceived and bore a son, and he named him...
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Genesis 38 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Judah and Tamar38 About this time, Judah left home and moved to Adullam, where he stayed with a man named Hirah. 2 There he saw a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua, and he married her. When he slept with her, 3 she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and he named the boy Er. 4 Then she beca...
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Genesis 38 - New Life Version (NLV)

Judah and Tamar38 Judah went away from his brothers at that time. He visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. 2 There Judah saw a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her as his wife and lived with her. 3 And she was going to have a child and gave birth to a son. ...
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Genesis 38 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Judah and Tamar38 It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and (A)visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. 2 And Judah (B)saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was (C)Shua, and he married her and went in to her. 3 So she conceived and bore a so...
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Genesis 38 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Judah and Tamar38 At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah. 2 There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and made love to her; 3 she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er. 4 She conceived agai...
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Genesis 38 - New International Version (NIV)

Judah and Tamar38 At that time, Judah(A) left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam(B) named Hirah.(C) 2 There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua.(D) He married her and made love to her; 3 she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er.(E) 4 She co...
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Genesis 38 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Judah and Tamar38 At that time, Judah left his brothers. He went down to stay with a man named Hirah from the town of Adullam. 2 There Judah met the daughter of a man from Canaan. His name was Shua. Judah married her and slept with her. 3 She became pregnant and had a son. They named him Er. 4 Sh...
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Genesis 38 - New English Translation (NET)

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