MSTC(i)
1 And it fortuned at that time that Judah went from his brethren and gat him to a man called Hirah of Adullam,
2 and there he saw the daughter of a man called Shua, a Canaanite. And he took her and went in unto her.
3 And she conceived and bare a son and called his name Er.
4 And she conceived again and bare a son and called him Onan.
5 And she conceived the third time and bare a son, whom she called Shelah: and he was at Chezib when she bare him.
6 And Judah gave Er, his eldest son, a wife whose name was Tamar.
7 But this Er, Judah's eldest son, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; wherefore the LORD slew him.
8 Then said Judah unto Onan, go in to thy brother's wife and marry her, and stir up seed unto thy brother.
9 And when Onan perceived that the seed should not be his: therefore when he went into his brother's wife, he spilled it on the ground, because he would not give seed unto his brother.
10 And the thing which he did, displeased the LORD, wherefore he slew him also.
11 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 feared lest he should have died also, as his brethren did. Thus went Tamar and dwelt in her father's house.
12 And in process of time, the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died. Then Judah, when he had left mourning, went unto his sheep shearers to Timnath with his friend Hirah of Adullam.
13 And one told Tamar, saying, "Behold, thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnath, to shear his sheep."
14 And she put her widow's garments off from her and covered her with a cloak, and disguised herself: And sat her down at the entering of Enaim which is by the high way's side to Timnath, for because she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.
15 When Judah saw her, he thought it had been an whore, because she had covered her face.
16 And turned to her unto the way and said, "Come, I pray thee, let me lie with thee." For he knew not that it was his daughter-in-law. And she said, "What wilt thou give me, for to lie with me?"
17 Then said he, "I will send thee a kid from the flock." She answered, "Then give me a pledge till thou send it."
18 Then said he, "What pledge shall I give thee?" And she said, "Thy signet, thy necklace, and thy staff that is in thy hand." And he gave it her and lay by her, and she was with child by him.
19 And she gat her up and went and put her mantle from her, and put on her widow's raiment again.
20 And Judah sent the kid by his neighbour of Adullam, for to fetch out his pledge again from the woman. But he found her not.
21 Then asked he the men of the same place saying, "Where is the whore that sat at Enaim in the way?" And they said, "There was no whore here."
22 And he came to Judah again, saying, "I cannot find her, and also the men of the place said that there was no whore there."
23 And Judah said, "Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: for I sent the kid and thou couldest not find her."
24 And it came to pass that after three months, one told Judah, saying, "Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath played the whore, and with playing the whore is become great with child." And Judah said, "Bring her forth and let her be burnt."
25 And when they brought her forth, she sent to her father-in-law saying, "By the man unto whom these things pertain, am I with child." And said also, "Look whose are this seal, necklace, and staff."
26 And Judah knew them, saying, "She is more righteous than I, because I gave her not to Shelah my son." But he lay with her no more.
27 When time was come that she should be delivered, behold there was two twins in her womb.
28 And as she travailed, the one put out his hand and the midwife took and bound a red thread about it, saying, "This will come out first."
29 But he plucked his hand back again, and his brother came out. And she said, "Wherefore hast thou rent a rent upon thee?" And called him Perez.
30 And afterward came out his brother that had the red thread about his hand, which was called Zerah.