Genesis 38:1-16 ▼

1 And it came to pass at that time that Judas went down from his brethren, and came as far as to a certain man of Odollam, whose name was Iras.

2 And Judas saw there the daughter of a Chananitish man, whose name was Sava; and he took her, and went in to her.

3 And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name, Er.

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

5 And she again bore a son; and called his name, Selom: and she was in Chasbi when she bore them.

6 And Judas took a wife for Er his first-born, whose name was Thamar.

7 And Er, the first-born of Judas, was wicked before the Lord; and God killed him.

8 And Judas said to Aunan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and marry her as her brother-in-law, and raise up seed to thy brother.

9 And Aunan, knowing that the seed should not be his - it came to pass when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it upon the ground, so that he should not give seed to his brother's wife.

10 And his doing this appeared evil before God; and he slew him also.

11 And Judas said to Thamar, his daughter-in-law, Sit thou a widow in the house of thy father-in-law, until Selom my son be grown; for he said, lest he also die as his brethren; and Thamar departed, and sat in the house of her father.

12 And the days were fulfilled, and Sava the wife of Judas died; and Judas, being comforted, went to them that sheared his sheep, himself and Iras his Shepherd the Odollamite, to Thamna.

13 And it was told Thamar his daughter-in-law, saying, Behold, thy father-in-law goeth up to Thamna, to shear his sheep.

14 And having taken off the garments of her widowhood from her, she put on a veil, and ornamented her face, and sat by the gates of Aenan, which is in the way to Thamna, for she saw that Selom was grown; but he gave her not to him for a wife.

15 And when Judas saw her, he thought her to be a harlot; for she covered her face, and he knew her not.

16 And he went out of his way to her, and said to her, 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 if thou shouldest come in to me?