1
At that time Juda went down from his brethren , and turned in to a certain Odollamite, named Hiras.
2
And he saw there the daughter of a man of Chanaan, called Sue: and taking her to wife , he went in unto her.
3
And she conceived, and bore a son , and called his name Her.
4
And conceiving again, she bore a son , and called him Onan .
5
She bore also a third: whom she called Sela. after whose birth , she ceased to bear any more.
6
And Juda took a wife for Her his firstborn , whose name was Thamar.
7
And Her, the firstborn of Juda , was wicked in the sight of the Lord : and was slain by him.
8
Juda , therefore add to Onan his son: Go in to thy brother 's wife and marry her, that thou mayst raise seed to thy brother .
9
He knowing that the children should not be his, when he went in to his brother 's wife , spilled his seed upon the ground , lest children should be born in his brother 's name.
10
And therefore the Lord slew him, be- cause he did a detestable thing.
11
Wherefore Juda said to Thamar his daughter in law: Remain a widow in thy father 's house , till Sela my son grow up: for he was afraid lest he also might die , as his brethren did. She went her way and dwelt in her father 's house .
12
And after many days were past, the daughter of Sue the wife of Juda died : and when he had taken comfort after his mourning, he went up to Thamnas , to the shearers of his sheep , he and Hiras the Odollamite the shepherd of his flock .
13
And it was told Thamar that her father in law was come up to Thamnas to shear his sheep .
14
And she put off the garments of her widowhood, and took a veil : and changing her dress, sat in the cross way , that leadeth to Thamnas : because Sela was grown up, and she had not been married to him.
15
When Juda saw her, he thought she was a harlot : for she had covered her face , lest she should be known.
16
And going to her, he said : Suffer me to lie with thee: for he knew her not to be his daughter in law. And she answered: What wilt thou give me to en joy my company?
17
He said : I will send thee a kid out of the flock . And when she said again: I will suffer what thou wilt, if thou give a pledge , till thou send what thou promisest,
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Juda said : What wilt thou have for a pledge ? She answered: Thy ring and bracelet , and the staff which thou holdest in thy hand . The woman therefore at one copulation conceived.
19
And she arose and went her way : and putting off the apparel which she had taken, put on the garments of her widowhood.
20
And Juda sent a kid by his shepherd, the Odollamite, that he might receive the pledge again, which he had given to the woman : but he, not finding her,
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asked the men of that place : Where is the woman that sat in the cross way ? And when they all made answer: There was no harlot in this place ,
22
He returned to Juda , and said to him: I have not found her; moreover the men of that place said to me, that there never sat a harlot there.
23
Juda said : Let her take it to herself ; surely she cannot charge us with a,lie: I sent the kid which I promised: and thou didst not find her.
24
And behold after three months they told a lie, saying: Thamar, thy daughter in law hath played the harlot , and she appeareth to have a big belly. And Juda said : Bring her out that she may be burnt.
25
But when she was led to execution, she sent to her father in law, saying: By the man , to whom these things belong, I am with child . See whose ring, and bracelet , and staff this is.
26
But he acknowledging the gifts, said : She is juster than I: because I did not give her to Sela, my son . However, he knew her no more.
27
And when she was ready to be brought to bed, there appeared twins in her womb : and in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, whereon the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying:
28
This shall come forth the first .
29
But he drawing back his hand , the other came forth: and the woman said : Why is the partition divided for thee? and therefore called his name Phares .
30
Afterwards his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread: and she called him Zara .