Genesis 38 Parallel Bible Translations

Genesis 38 ▼
swipe to see more →
AMP
Amplified Bible
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
+Add
1 Now at that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to [stay with] a certain Adullamite named Hirah. It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah.
2 There Judah saw a daughter of Shua, a Canaanite, and he took her [as his wife] and lived with her. There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her, There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and made love to her;
3 So she conceived and gave birth to a son and Judah named him Er. and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er.
4 Then she conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan. She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan.
5 Again she conceived and gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Chezib that she gave birth to him. Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him. She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.
6 Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him [in judgment]. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD put him to death. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death.
8 Then Judah told Onan, “Go in to your brother’s widow, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law [under the levirate marriage custom]; [be her husband and] raise children for [the name of] your brother.” Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.”
9 Onan knew that the child (heir) would not be his [but his dead brother’s]; so whenever he lay with his brother’s widow, he spilled his seed on the ground [to prevent conception], so that he would not give a child to his brother. But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother.
10 But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD; therefore He killed him also [in judgment]. And what he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and he put him to death also. What he did was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death also.
11 Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow at your father’s house until Shelah my [youngest] son is grown”; [but he was deceiving her] for he thought that [if Shelah should marry her] he too might die like his brothers did. So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house. Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son grows up”—for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father’s house. Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s household until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s household.
12 But quite a while later, Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died; and when the time of mourning was ended, he went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah with his friend Hirah the Adullamite. In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him.
13 Tamar was told, “Listen, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” And when Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,”
14 So she removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself up [in disguise], and sat in the gateway of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she had not been given to him as a wife [as Judah had promised]. she took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage. she took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.
15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a [temple] prostitute, for she had covered her face [as such women did]. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.
16 He turned to her by the road, and said, “Please come, let me lie with you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give me, that you may lie with me?” He turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.” “And what will you give me to sleep with you?” she asked.
17 He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “Will you give me a pledge [as a deposit] until you send it?” He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you give me a pledge, until you send it—” “I’ll send you a young goat from my flock,” he said. “Will you give me something as a pledge until you send it?” she asked.
18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She said, “Your seal and your cord, and the staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and was intimate with her, and she conceived by him. He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. He said, “What pledge should I give you?” “Your seal and its cord, and the staff in your hand,” she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him.
19 Then she got up and left, and removed her veil and put on her widow’s clothing. Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood. After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow’s clothes again.
20 When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to get his pledge [back] from the woman, he was unable to find her. When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from the woman, but he did not find her.
21 He asked the men of that place, “Where is the temple prostitute who was by the roadside at Enaim?” They said, “There was no prostitute here.” And he asked the men of the place, “Where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim at the roadside?” And they said, “No cult prostitute has been here.” He asked the men who lived there, “Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?” “There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here,” they said.
22 So he returned to Judah, and said, “I cannot find her; also the local men said, ‘There was no prostitute around here.’” So he returned to Judah and said, “I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said, ‘No cult prostitute has been here.’” So he went back to Judah and said, “I didn’t find her. Besides, the men who lived there said, ‘There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here.’”
23 Then Judah said, “Let her keep the things (pledge articles) for herself, otherwise we will be a laughingstock [searching everywhere for her]. After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.” And Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.” Then Judah said, “Let her keep what she has, or we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn’t find her.”
24 About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the [role of a] prostitute, and she is with child because of her immorality.” So Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned [to death as punishment]!” About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.” Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned to death!”
25 While she was being brought out, she [took the things Judah had given her and] sent [them along with a message] to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man to whom these articles belong.” And she added, “Please examine [them carefully] and see [clearly] to whom these things belong, the seal and the cord and staff.” As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. “I am pregnant by the man who owns these,” she said. And she added, “See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are.”
26 Judah recognized the articles, and said, “She has been more righteous [in this matter] than I, because I did not give her to my son Shelah [as I had promised].” And Judah did not have [intimate] relations with her again. Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again. Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not sleep with her again.
27 Now when the time came for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb.
28 And when she was in labor, one [baby] put out his hand, and the midwife took his hand and tied a scarlet thread on it, saying, “This one was born first.” And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said, “This one came out first.”
29 But he pulled back his hand, and his brother was born first. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself [to be the firstborn]!” So he was named Perez (breach, break forth). But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called Perez. But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out, and she said, “So this is how you have broken out!” And he was named Perez.
30 Afterward his brother who had the scarlet [thread] on his hand was born and was named Zerah (brightness). Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah. Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist, came out. And he was named Zerah.
Previous chapter
Top of Page
Top of Page