1It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. 2And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he took her and went in to her. 3And she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. 4She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. 5And she did so again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him. 6Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and Jehovah killed him. 8And Judah said to Onan, Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up seed to your brother. 9But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he spoiled it on the ground, so as not to give seed to his brother. 10And the thing which he did made the eye of Jehovah quiver; therefore He killed him also. 11Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown. For he thought, Lest he also die like his brothers. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house. 12Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep. 14And she took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife. 15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had veiled her face. 16And he turned aside to her by the way, and said, Please let me come in to you; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. So she said, What will you give me, that you may come in to me? 17And he said, I will send a young goat from the flock. And she said, Will you give me a pledge till you send it? 18And he said, What pledge shall I give you? So she said, Your signet ring and cord, and your staff that is in your hand. And he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood. 20And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her. 21Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot who was openly by the wayside? And they said, There was no harlot here. 22So he returned to Judah and said, I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot there. 23And Judah said, Let her take them for herself, that we not be held in contempt; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her. 24And it came to pass, after about three months, that Judah was told, saying, Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by prostitution. So Judah said, Bring her out and let her be burned! 25When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man to whom these belong, I am with child. And she said, Please acknowledge whose these are; the signet ring and cord, and staff. 26And Judah acknowledged them and said, She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son. And he never knew her again. 27And it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb. 28And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, This one came out first. 29And it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came forth; and she said, How have you broken through this breach for yourself? Therefore his name was called Perez. 30And afterward out came his brother who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah.