Genesis 38 · Parashat Vayeshev

And it came to pass at that time, that Yehuda went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain ῾Adullamite, whose name was Ḥira.

And Yehuda saw there a daughter of a certain Kena῾anite, whose name was Shu῾a; and he took her, and went in to her.

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

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

And she yet again conceived, and bore a son; and called his name Shela: and he was at Keziv, when she bore him.

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

And ῾Er, Yehuda’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him.

And Yehuda said to Onan, Go in to thy brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a brother in law, and raise up seed to thy brother.

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

And the thing which he did displeased the Lord: So He slew him also.

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

And in process of time the daughter of Shu῾a Yehuda’s wife died; and when Yehuda was comforted, he went up to his sheep shearers to Timna, he and his friend Ḥira the ῾Adullamite.

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

And she put off her widow’s garments, and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat by the entrance to ῾Enayim, which is by the way to Timna; for she saw that Shela was grown, and she was not given to him to wife.

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

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

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?

And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy cord, and thy staff that is in thy hand.

And he gave it her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went away, and laid by her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

And Yehuda 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.

Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was at ῾Enayim by the wayside? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.

And he returned to Yehuda, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, There was no harlot in this place.

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

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

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 the cord, and the staff.

And Yehuda acknowledged them, and said, She has been more righteous than I; because I gave her not to Shela my son. And he knew her again no more.

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

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.

And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, Why hast thou made such a breach for thyself? Therefore his name was called Pereż.

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