Genesis 38

And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

During that period, Judah left his brothers and went to stay with a man named Hirah from Adullam.

And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.

Judah spotted the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shuah, and captivated by her, he married her and slept with her.

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

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

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

Once more, she found herself blessed with pregnancy, and in time, gave birth to a boy. With love in her heart, she named him Onan.

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

Once more, she was blessed with the miracle of birth, a son she lovingly named Shelah. Amidst the humble surroundings of Chezib, she brought him into the world.

And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.

Judah found a wife named Tamar for his eldest son, Er, with love and hope in his heart.

And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.

Er, Judah's eldest son, was a man of evil, deeply displeasing to the Lord. So, in His divine justice, the Lord ended his life.

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

With a heavy heart, Judah turned to Onan, "Honor your brother's memory," he implored, "Marry his widow, give her a child, continue his lineage."

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

Onan realized that any child he fathered wouldn't count as his own. So, whenever he slept with his brother's wife, he spilled his seed on the ground, so that he would not give his brother an heir.

And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.

What he did displeased the Lord, so the Lord put him to death as well.

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

With a heavy heart, Judah told his daughter-in-law, Tamar, "Stay a widow in your father's home until my son Shelah is grown." He feared that Shelah might meet the same fate as his brothers. Tamar, understanding his fears, returned to her father's home.

And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

Over time, Judah's wife, Shuah's daughter, passed away. After mourning, Judah found comfort and decided to visit his sheep shearers in Timnath, accompanied by his close friend, Hirah from Adullam.

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

Someone informed Tamar, "Look, your father-in-law is heading to Timnath to shear his sheep."

And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.

She shed her widow's attire, cloaked herself in a veil, and sat openly on the path to Timnath. She realized Shelah had matured, yet she was not chosen to be his wife.

When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.

Upon seeing her, Judah mistook her for a lady of the night, as her face was veiled.

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

On their journey, he turned to her, pleading, "Please, allow me to be with you." He was unaware that she was his daughter-in-law. She responded, "What will you offer me in return for your company?"

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

He promised, "I'll send you a young goat from our herd." She asked, "Can you give me something to hold onto until then?"

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

He asked, "What assurance can I offer?" She replied, "Your ring, your bracelets, and your staff." He handed them over, joined her, and she became pregnant with his child.

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

She stood up, left, removed her veil, and donned the attire of her grief.

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

With a heavy heart, Judah sent his friend, the Adullamite, carrying a young goat to reclaim his pledge from the woman. But, to his dismay, she was nowhere to be found.

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

He questioned the locals, "Where is the woman of ill repute, who was so brazenly on display?" They replied, "There's no such woman here."

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.

He came back to Judah, heart heavy with disappointment, confessing, "I couldn't find her." Even the locals confirmed, "There's no woman of ill-repute here."

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

Judah pleaded, "Let her keep it, to save our dignity. After all, I did send the kid, but you couldn't find her."

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

Three months later, news reached Judah: "Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has acted as a prostitute, and now she is pregnant as a result." Shocked and enraged, Judah demanded, "Bring her out and let her be burned to death!"

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

As she was presented, she sent a message to her father-in-law, "I am pregnant by the man who owns these items," she said. She held up a signet, bracelets, and a staff, pleading, "Please, recognize who these belong to."

And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

Judah recognized the items and admitted, "She has been more just than I, for I failed to give her to my son Shelah." And he never slept with her again.

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

During her labor, she discovered with awe and anticipation, she was carrying twins.

And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.

As she labored in pain, a tiny hand emerged. The midwife, with gentle care, tied a scarlet thread around it, declaring softly, "This one came out first."

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

As he withdrew his hand, his brother emerged. In surprise, she exclaimed, "How did you burst your way out? You have broken through first!" Hence, he was named Pharez.

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

Then his twin brother, marked by the crimson thread tied on his hand, emerged. They named him Zarah.