Genesis 38:5-19
English Standard Version
Chapter 38
5Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him.
6And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
7But Er, Judah 's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death.
8Then 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."
9But 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.
10And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also.
11Then 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.
12In 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.
13And when Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,"
14she 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.
15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.
16He 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?"
17He answered, "I will send you a young goat from the flock." And she said, "If you give me a pledge, until you send it — "
18He 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.
19Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.