It happenedוַיְהִיat thatהַהִואtimeבָּעֵתthat Judahוַ יְהוּדָהwent downיֵּרֶדfromמֵאֵתhis brothersאֶחָיוand turned asideוַיֵּטtoעַדa man,אִישׁan Adullamite,עֲדֻלָּמִיwhose nameוּשְׁמוֹwas Hirah.חִירָה
ThereשָׁםJudahיְהוּדָהsawוַיַּרְאthe daughterבַּתof a Canaaniteכְּנַעֲנִיmanאִישׁwhose nameוּשְׁמוֹwas Shua;שׁוּעַhe took herוַיִּקָּחֶהָand went inוַיָּבֹאto her.אֵלֶיהָ
She conceivedוַתַּהַרand boreוַתֵּלֶדa son,בֵּןand he calledוַיִּקְרָאhis nameאֶת שְׁמוֹEr.עֵר
She conceivedוַתַּהַרagainעוֹדand boreוַתֵּלֶדa son,בֵּןand she calledוַתִּקְרָאhis nameאֶת שְׁמוֹOnan.אוֹנָן
Yet againוַתֹּסֶף עוֹדshe boreוַתֵּלֶדa sonבֵּןand calledוַתִּקְרָאhis nameאֶת שְׁמוֹShelah.שֵׁלָהHeוְwasהָיָהat Chezibבִכְזִיבwhen she boreבְּלִדְתָּהּhim.אֹתוֹ
Judahיְהוּדָהtookוַיִּקַּחa wifeאִשָּׁהfor Erלְעֵרhis firstborn,בְּכוֹרוֹand her nameוּשְׁמָהּwas Tamar.תָּמָר
But Er,וַ עֵרJudah’sיְהוּדָהfirstborn,בְּכוֹרwasיְהִיevilרַעin the eyesבְּעֵינֵיof YHWH,יְהוָהand YHWHיְהוָהput him to death.וַיְמִתֵהוּ
Judahיְהוּדָהsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto Onan,לְאוֹנָן“Go inבֹּאtoאֶלyour brother’sאָחִיךָwifeאֵשֶׁתand perform the duty of a brother-in-lawוְיַבֵּםto her,אֹתָהּand raise upוְהָקֵםoffspringזֶרַעfor your brother.”לְאָחִיךָ
But Onanוַ אוֹנָןknewיֵּדַעthatכִּיthe offspringהַזָּרַעwould notלֹּאbeיִהְיֶהhis;לוֹso wheneverוְהָיָה אִםhe went inבָּאtoאֶלhis brother’sאָחִיוwife,אֵשֶׁתhe wasted itוְשִׁחֵתon the ground,אַרְצָהso as notלְבִלְתִּיto giveנְתָןoffspringזֶרַעto his brother.לְאָחִיו
Whatאֲשֶׁרhe didעָשָׂהwas evilוַיֵּרַעin the eyesבְּעֵינֵיof YHWH,יְהוָהand he put to deathוַיָּמֶתhimאֹתוֹalso.גַּם
Then Judahוַ יְהוּדָהsaidיֹּאמֶרto Tamarלְתָמָרhis daughter-in-law,כַּלָּתוֹ“Remainשְׁבִיa widowאַלְמָנָהin your father’sאָבִיךְhouseבֵיתuntilעַדShelahשֵׁלָהmy sonבְנִיgrows up”;יִגְדַּלforכִּיhe said to himself,אָמַר“Lestפֶּןhe tooגַּם הוּאdieיָמוּתlike his brothers.”כְּאֶחָיוSo Tamarוַ תָּמָרwentתֵּלֶךְand remainedוַתֵּשֶׁבin her father’sאָבִיהָhouse.בֵּית
Many days passed,וַיִּרְבּוּ הַיָּמִיםand the daughterוַ בַּתof Shua,שׁוּעַJudah’sיְהוּדָהwife,אֵשֶׁתdied;תָּמָתand when Judahוַ יְהוּדָהwas comforted,יִּנָּחֶםhe went upוַיַּעַלtoעַלhis sheepshearersגֹּזֲזֵי צֹאנוֹat Timnah,תִּמְנָתָהheהוּאand Hirahוְחִירָהhis friendרֵעֵהוּthe Adullamite.הָעֲדֻלָּמִי
Tamarלְתָמָרwas told,וַיֻּגַּדsaying,לֵאמֹר“Look,הִנֵּהyour father-in-lawחָמִיךְis going upעֹלֶהto Timnahתִמְנָתָהto shearלָגֹזhis sheep.”צֹאנוֹ
She removedוַתָּסַרher widow’s garmentsבִּגְדֵי אַלְמְנוּתָהּfrom her,מֵעָלֶיהָcovered herselfוַתְּכַסwith a veil,בַּצָּעִיףwrapped herself,וַתִּתְעַלָּףand satוַתֵּשֶׁבat the entranceבְּפֶתַחof Enaim,עֵינַיִםwhichאֲשֶׁרis onעַלthe roadדֶּרֶךְto Timnah;תִּמְנָתָהforכִּיshe sawרָאֲתָהthatכִּיShelahשֵׁלָהhad grown up,גָדַלand sheוְהִואhad notלֹאbeen givenנִתְּנָהto himלוֹas a wife.לְאִשָּׁה
Judahיְהוּדָהsaw herוַיִּרְאֶהָand thought herוַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָto be a prostitute,לְזוֹנָהforכִּיshe had coveredכִסְּתָהher face.פָּנֶיהָ
He turnedוַיֵּטto herאֵלֶיהָbyאֶלthe roadהַדֶּרֶךְand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Come,הָבָהplease,נָּאlet me go inאָבוֹאto you”;אֵלַיִךְforכִּיhe did notלֹאknowיָדַעthatכִּיsheהִואwas his daughter-in-law.כַלָּתוֹShe said,וַתֹּאמֶר“Whatמַהwill you giveתִּתֶּןmeלִּיthatכִּיyou may go inתָבוֹאto me?”אֵלָי
He said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Iאָנֹכִיwill sendאֲשַׁלַּחa young goatגְּדִי עִזִּיםfrom the flock.”מִן הַצֹּאןShe said,וַתֹּאמֶר“Ifאִםyou give meתִּתֵּןa pledgeעֵרָבוֹןuntilעַדyou send it.”שָׁלְחֶךָ
He said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Whatמָהis the pledgeהָעֵרָבוֹןthatאֲשֶׁרI shall giveאֶתֶּןyou?”לָּךְShe said,וַתֹּאמֶר“Your seal,חֹתָמְךָyour cord,וּפְתִילֶךָand your staffוּמַטְּךָthatאֲשֶׁרis in your hand.”בְּיָדֶךָSo he gave themוַיִּתֶּןto herלָּהּand went inוַיָּבֹאto her,אֵלֶיהָand she conceivedוַתַּהַרby him.לוֹ
She aroseוַתָּקָםand went awayוַתֵּלֶךְand removedוַתָּסַרher veilצְעִיפָהּfrom herמֵעָלֶיהָand put onוַתִּלְבַּשׁher widow’s garments.בִּגְדֵי אַלְמְנוּתָהּ
Judahיְהוּדָהsentוַיִּשְׁלַחthe young goatאֶת גְּדִי הָעִזִּיםby the handבְּיַדof his friendרֵעֵהוּthe Adullamiteהָעֲדֻלָּמִיto takeלָקַחַתthe pledgeהָעֵרָבוֹןfrom the handמִיַּדof the woman,הָאִשָּׁהbut he did notוְלֹאfind her.מְצָאָהּ
He askedוַיִּשְׁאַלthe menאֶת אַנְשֵׁיof her place,מְקֹמָהּsaying,לֵאמֹר“Whereאַיֵּהis the sacred prostituteהַקְּדֵשָׁהwhoהִואwas at Enaimבָעֵינַיִםbyעַלthe road?”הַדָּרֶךְThey said,וַיֹּאמְרוּ“There has been noלֹא הָיְתָהsacred prostituteקְדֵשָׁהhere.”בָזֶה
He returnedוַיָּשָׁבto Judahאֶל יְהוּדָהand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“I did notלֹאfind her;מְצָאתִיהָand alsoוְגַםthe menאַנְשֵׁיof the placeהַמָּקוֹםsaid,אָמְרוּ‘There has been noלֹא הָיְתָהsacred prostituteקְדֵשָׁהhere.’”בָזֶה
Judahיְהוּדָהsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“Let her take the thingsתִּקַּחfor herself,לָהּlestפֶּןwe becomeנִהְיֶהa laughingstock.לָבוּזLook,הִנֵּהI sentשָׁלַחְתִּיthisהַזֶּהyoung goat,הַגְּדִיbut youוְאַתָּהdid notלֹאfind her.”מְצָאתָהּ
Aboutוַיְהִי כְּthreeשְׁלֹשׁmonthsחֳדָשִׁיםlaterמִJudahלִיהוּדָהwas told,וַיֻּגַּדsaying,לֵאמֹר“Tamarתָּמָרyour daughter-in-lawכַּלָּתֶךָhas prostituted herself,זָנְתָהand moreover,וְגַםlook,הִנֵּהshe is pregnantהָרָהby prostitution.”לִזְנוּנִיםAnd Judahוַ יְהוּדָהsaid,יֹּאמֶר“Bring her outהוֹצִיאוּהָand let her be burned!”וְתִשָּׂרֵף
As sheהִואwas being brought out,מוּצֵאתsheוְהִיאsentשָׁלְחָהto her father-in-law,אֶל חָמִיהָsaying,לֵאמֹר“By the manלְאִישׁto whomאֲשֶׁר לּוֹthese belongאֵלֶּהIאָנֹכִיam pregnant.”הָרָהAnd she said,וַתֹּאמֶר“Recognize,הַכֶּרplease,נָאwhoseלְמִיthese are:הָאֵלֶּהthe seal,הַחֹתֶמֶתthe cord,וְהַפְּתִילִיםand the staff.”וְהַמַּטֶּה
Judahיְהוּדָהrecognized themוַיַּכֵּרand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“She is more righteousצָדְקָהthan I,מִמֶּנִּיbecauseכִּי עַל כֵּןI did notלֹאgive herנְתַתִּיהָto Shelahלְשֵׁלָהmy son.”בְנִיAnd he did notוְלֹאagainיָסַף עוֹדknow her.לְדַעְתָּה
Whenוַיְהִי בְּthe timeעֵתof her giving birth came,לִדְתָּהּlook,וְהִנֵּהthere were twinsתְאוֹמִיםin her womb.בְּבִטְנָהּ
While she was giving birth,וַיְהִי בְלִדְתָּהּone put outוַיִּתֶּןa hand,יָדand the midwifeוַ הַמְיַלֶּדֶתtookתִּקַּחand tiedוַתִּקְשֹׁרa scarlet threadשָׁנִיon his hand,עַל יָדוֹsaying,לֵאמֹר“This oneזֶהcame outיָצָאfirst.”רִאשֹׁנָה
Butוַיְהִיasכְּhe drew backמֵשִׁיבhis hand,יָדוֹlook,וְהִנֵּהhis brotherאָחִיוcame out;יָצָאand she said,וַתֹּאמֶר“Whatמַהa breachפָּרֶץyou have brokenפָּרַצְתָּfor yourself!”עָלֶיךָSo he calledוַיִּקְרָאhis nameשְׁמוֹPerez.פָּרֶץ
Afterwardוְאַחַרhis brotherאָחִיוcame out,יָצָאwhoאֲשֶׁרhad onעַלhis handיָדוֹthe scarlet thread;הַשָּׁנִיand he calledוַיִּקְרָאhis nameשְׁמוֹZerah.זָרַח