Genesis 38:13-30
Read Genesis 38 in full →13Then it was told to Tamar, “1Behold, your father-in-law is going up to aTimnah to shear his sheep.” 14So she removed her widow’s garments from herself and acovered herself with a 1veil and wrapped herself. And she sat at the entrance of 2Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and bshe had not been given to him as a wife. 15Then Judah saw her, and he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face. 16So he turned aside to her by the road and said, “Here now, let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17He said, therefore, “I will send you a 1young goat from the flock.” She said, moreover, “Will you give a pledge until you send it?” 18Then he said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said, “aYour signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19Then she arose and went. And she removed her 1veil from herself and put on her widow’s garments.
20Then Judah sent the 1young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take the pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her. 21So he asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the cult prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?” But they said, “There has been no cult prostitute here.” 22So he returned to Judah and said, “I did not find her; and furthermore, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’” 23Then Judah said, “Let her 1keep them, lest we become a laughingstock. Behold, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.”
24Now it happened about three months later that it was told to Judah saying, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry.” Then Judah said, “Bring her out and alet her be burned!” 25It was while she was being brought out that she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man to whom these things belong.” And she said, “aPlease recognize this and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?” 26And Judah recognized them and said, “aShe is more righteous than I, inasmuch as bI did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not 1know her again.
27Now it happened at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were atwins in her womb. 28And it happened, while she was giving birth, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 29And then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out. So she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” So he was named 1,aPerez. 30Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named 1,aZerah.