Genesis

At that time, Judah went down from his brothers and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah.

Judah saw there the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and went in to her.

She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and he named him Er.

She became pregnant again and gave birth to a son, and she named him Onan.

She gave birth to yet another son and named him Shelah; he was at Chezib when she gave birth to him.

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

Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the LORD's sight, so the LORD put him to death.

Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and raise up offspring for your brother."

Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; and when he went in to his brother's wife, he spilled it on the ground so that he would not give offspring to his brother.

What he did was evil in the LORD's sight, and He put him to death also.

Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah is grown up," for he said, "Lest he also die, like his brothers." Tamar went and lived in her father's house.

After many days, Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted and went up to his sheep-shearers at Timnah, along with his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

Tamar was told, "Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep."

She took off her widow's garments, covered herself with her veil, wrapped herself, and sat at the gate of Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him as a wife.

When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.

He turned to her by the way and said, "Please 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?"

He said, "I will send you a young goat from the flock." She said, "Will you give me a pledge until you send it?"

He said, "What pledge shall I give you?" She said, "Your signet and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand." He gave them to her and came in to her, and she conceived by him.

She arose and went away, took off her veil, and put on her widow's garments.

Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite to receive the pledge from the woman's hand, but he did not find her.

Then he asked the men of that place, saying, "Where is the prostitute who was at Enaim by the road?" They said, "There has been no prostitute here."

He returned to Judah and said, "I have not found her; and also the men of the place said, 'There has been no prostitute here.'"

Judah said, "Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this young goat, and you have not found her."

About three months later, Judah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the prostitute. Moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution." Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned."

When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, "By the man whose these are, I am with child." She also said, "Please discern whose these are—the signet, and the cords, and the staff."

Judah acknowledged them and said, "She is more righteous than I, because I did not give her to my son Shelah." He knew her again no more.

In the time of her labour, behold, twins were in her womb.

When she travailed, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, "This came out first."

As he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out, and she said, "Why have you made a breach for yourself?" Therefore his name was called Perez.

Afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.