Judah and Tamar

1And it came to pass at that time that Judas went down from his brethren, and came as far as to a certain man of Odollam, whose name was Iras. 2And Judas saw there the daughter of a Chananitish man, whose name was Sava; and he took her, and went in to her. 3And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name, Er. 4And she conceived and bore a son again; and called his name, Aunan. 5And she again bore a son; and called his name, Selom: and she was in Chasbi when she bore them.

6And Judas took a wife for Er his first-born, whose name was Thamar. 7And Er, the first-born of Judas, was wicked before the Lord; and God killed him. 8And Judas said to Aunan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and marry her as her brother-in-law, and raise up seed to thy brother. 9And Aunan, knowing that the seed should not be his—it came to pass when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it upon the ground, so that he should not give seed to his brother's wife. 10And his doing this appeared evil before God; and he slew him also. 11And Judas said to Thamar, his daughter-in-law, Sit thou a widow in the house of thy father-in-law, until Selom my son be grown; for he said, lest he also die as his brethren; and Thamar departed, and sat in the house of her father.

12And the days were fulfilled, and Sava the wife of Judas died; and Judas, being comforted, went to them that sheared his sheep, himself and Iras his Shepherd the Odollamite, to Thamna. 13And it was told Thamar his daughter-in-law, saying, Behold, thy father-in-law goeth up to Thamna, to shear his sheep. 14And having taken off the garments of her widowhood from her, she put on a veil, and ornamented her face, and sat by the gates of Aenan, which is in the way to Thamna, for she saw that Selom was grown; but he gave her not to him for a wife. 15And when Judas saw her, he thought her to be a harlot; for she covered her face, and he knew her not. 16And he went out of his way to her, and said to her, Let me come in to thee; for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law; and she said, What wilt thou give me if thou shouldest come in to me? 17And he said, I will send thee a kid of the goats from my flock; and she said, Well, if thou wilt give me an earnest, until thou send it. 18And he said, What is the earnest that I shall give thee? and she said, Thy ring, and thy bracelet, and the staff in thy hand; and he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19And she arose and departed, and took her veil from off her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

20And Judas sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his shepherd the Odollamite, to receive the pledge from the woman; and he found her not. 21And he asked the men of the place, Where is the harlot who was in Aenan by the way-side? and they said, There was no harlot here. 22And he returned to Judas, and said, I have not found her; and the men of the place say, There is no harlot here. 23And Judas said, Let her have them, but let us not be ridiculed; I sent this kid, but thou hast not found her.

24And it came to pass after three months, that it was told Judas, saying, Thamar thy daughter-in-law has grievously played the harlot, and behold she is with child by whoredom; and Judas said, Bring her out, and let her be burnt. 25And as they were bringing her, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, I am with child by the man whose these things are; and she said, See whose is this ring and bracelet and staff. 26And Judas knew them, and said, Thamar is cleared rather than I, forasmuch as I gave her not to Selom my son: and he knew her not again.

The Birth of Pharez and Zarah

27And it came to pass when she was in labour, that she also had twins in her womb. 28And it came to pass as she was bringing forth, one thrust forth his hand, and the midwife having taken hold of it, bound upon hid hand a scarlet thread, saying, This one shall come out first. 29And when he drew back his hand, then immediately came forth his brother; and she said, Why has the barrier been cut through because of thee? and she called his name, Phares. 30And after this came forth his brother, on whose hand was the scarlet thread; and she called his name, Zara.