Genesis 38

Judah’s Family

1 Judah dipped from his brothers for a while and chilled with this dude named Hirah from Adullam.

2 While he was there, he met a Canaanite chick, Shua’s daughter, and he ended up marrying her.

3 She got pregnant and had a son, and Judah named him Er.

4 Then she got pregnant again and had another son named Onan.

5 After that, she had a third son named Shelah. This happened while they were in Kezib.

Judah’s First Son Dies

6 Judah found a wife for his oldest son Er. Her name was Tamar.

7 But Er was out here wilding and doing dirt, and God was not having it. So God took him out.

Onan’s Responsibility

8 Judah told Onan, ‘Listen, you must marry Tamar and have kids with her to carry on your brother’s name.’

9 But Onan did not want to give his brother kids, so every time he hooked up with Tamar, he made sure she could not get pregnant.

10 God was not feeling this at all, so He took Onan out too.

Judah Sends Tamar Away

11 Judah said to Tamar, ‘Go back to your dad’s house and stay a widow until my youngest son Shelah is old enough to marry.’ But lowkey, Judah was scared Shelah might die too, like his brothers.

Judah and Tamar’s Encounter

12 After some time, Judah’s wife died. When he was done mourning, he and his boy Hirah went up to Timnah to handle sheep business.

13 Someone told Tamar, ‘Listen, your father-in-law is heading to Timnah.’

14 She took off her widow clothes, put on a veil to disguise herself, and sat near the road to Timnah. She knew Judah was not going to give her to Shelah as a wife, even though Shelah was grown now.

15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute because her face was covered.

16 He rolled up and said, ‘Let me sleep with you,’ not knowing it was Tamar. She said, ‘What are you going to pay me?’

17 He said, ‘I will send you a young goat from my flock.’ She said, ‘Cool, but you must leave something with me until you send it.’

18 Judah asked, ‘What do you want?’ She said, ‘Your seal, your cord, and your staff.’ He handed them over, slept with her, and she got pregnant.

19 Afterward, Tamar dipped, took off the veil, and put back on her widow clothes.

Judah Sends the Goat

20 Judah sent the goat with his boy Hirah to get his stuff back, but Hirah could not find her.

21 Hirah asked the locals, ‘Listen, where is the shrine prostitute who was by the road,’ They said, ‘There was not any prostitute here.’

22 Hirah went back to Judah and said, ‘I could not find her, and the people said there was not any prostitute around there.’

23 Judah said, ‘Forget it then. Let her keep the stuff, or we will look stupid for chasing her down. I did what I said I would do.’

Tamar’s Pregnancy Exposed

24 About three months later, someone snitched on Tamar, saying, ‘Listen, she has been out here acting wild and is pregnant.’ Judah said, ‘Bring her out and burn her!’

25 As they were dragging her out, Tamar sent a message to Judah: ‘The man who owns this seal, cord, and staff is the baby daddy. Recognize this stuff,’

26 Judah saw it and said, ‘Dang, she is more righteous than me because I did not give her to Shelah like I should have.’ After that, Judah did not mess with her again.

Tamar Gives Birth

27 When it was time for Tamar to give birth, she found out she was having twins.

28 During delivery, one baby stuck his hand out, and the midwife tied a red thread around it, saying, ‘This one is the firstborn.’

29 But then the baby pulled his hand back, and his brother came out first. The midwife said, ‘What a breakthrough!’ So they named him Perez (which means Breakthrough).

30 Then his brother came out with the red thread on his hand, and they named him Zerah.