King James Version, Updated™

(1) It came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

(2) Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah. And he took her, and went in unto her.

(3) And she conceived, and gave birth to a son, and he called his name Er.

(4) Then she conceived again, and gave birth to a son, and she called his name Onan.

(5) And she conceived yet again, and gave birth to a son, and called his name Shelah. She was at Chezib, when she gave birth to him.

(6) Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

(7) Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him.

(8) And Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up offspring for your brother."

(9) Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he give offspring to his brother.

(10) And the thing which he did displeased the LORD, therefore he killed him also.

(11) Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter in law, "Remain a widow at your father’s house, until Shelah my son is grown." For he said, "Lest he also die, like his brothers." So Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.

(12) In the process of time, the daughter of Shuah, Judah’s wife died, and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers, to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

(13) It was told to Tamar, saying, "Behold your father in law is going up to Timnath to shear his sheep."

(14) So she took off her widow’s garments from her, and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which was on the way to Timnath. For she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as his wife.

(15) When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face.

(16) And he turned to her by the way, and said, "Please, let me come in to you," (for he did not know that she was his daughter in law.) Then she said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?"

(17) So he said, "I will send you a kid from the flock." Then she said, "Will you give me a pledge, until you send it?"

(18) And he said, "What pledge shall I give you?" Then she said, "Your signet, and your bracelets, and your staff that is in your hand." And he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him.

(19) Then she arose, and went away, and laid aside her veil, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

(20) So Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her.

(21) Then he asked the men of that place, saying, "Where is the harlot, that was here openly by the way side?" And they said, "There was no harlot in this place."

(22) So he returned to Judah, and said, "I cannot find her, and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place."

(23) Judah said, "Let her take the pledge for herself, lest we be shamed, behold, I sent this kid, and you have not found her."

(24) Then it came to pass about three months later, that Judah was told, saying, "Tamar your daughter in law has played the harlot, and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom." Judah said, "Bring her forth, and let her be burnt."

(25) When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, "By the man, whose these belong, I am with child." And she said, "Please discern whose these are, the signet, and bracelets, and staff."

(26) Then Judah acknowledged them, and said, "She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son." And he did not know her again.

(27) And it came to pass at the time of her delivery, that, behold, twins were in her womb.

(28) And it came to pass, when she was giving birth, that one put out his hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, "This came out first."

(29) It came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out, and she said, "How did you break forth? This breach is upon you." Therefore his name was called Pharez.

(30) Then afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zarah.