And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

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

3And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.

4And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.

5And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.

6And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.

7And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.

8And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

9And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.

10And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.

11Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

12And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.

14And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which isby the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.

15When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.

16And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?

17And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?

18And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.

19And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

20And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.

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

22And 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.

23And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

24And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.

25When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.

26And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

27And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.

28And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out hishand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.

29And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? thisbreach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.

30And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

And it came to passe at that time, that Iudah went downe from his brethren, and turned in to a certaine Adullamite, whose name was Hirah:

2And Iudah saw there a daughter of a certaine Canaanite, whose name was Shuah: and he tooke her, and went in vnto her.

3And she conceiued & bare a sonne, and he called his name Er.

4And shee conceiued againe, and bare a sonne, and shee called his name, Onan.

5And she yet againe conceiued and bare a sonne, and called his name Shelah: and hee was at Chezib, when shee bare him.

6And Iudah tooke a wife for Er his first borne, whose name was Tamar.

7And Er, Iudahs first borne was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD slew him.

8And Iudah said vnto Onan, Goe in vnto thy brothers wife, and marrie her, and raise vp seed to thy brother.

9And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to passe when hee went in vnto his brothers wife, that hee spilled it on the ground, least that hee should giue seed to his brother.

10And the thing which he did, displeased the LORD: wherefore hee slew him also.

11Then said Iudah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remaine a widow at thy fathers house, til Shelah my sonne be growen: (for he said, Lest peraduenture he die also as his brethren did) and Tamar went and dwelt in her fathers house.

12 And in processe of time, the daughter of Shuah Iudahs wife died: and Iudah was comforted, and went vp vnto his sheepe-shearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13And it was told Lamar, saying, Behold, thy father in law goeth vp to Timnath to sheare his sheepe.

14And shee put her widowes garments off from her, and couered her with a vaile, and wrapped her selfe, and sate in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath: for shee sawe that Shelah was growen, and she was not giuen vnto him to wife.

15When Iudah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot: because she had couered her face.

16And hee turned vnto her by the way, and said, Goe to, I pray thee, let me come in vnto thee: (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law) and she said, what wilt thou giue mee, that thou mayest come in vnto me?

17And hee said, I will send thee a kid from the flocke: and shee saide, Wilt thou giue mee a pledge, till thou send it?

18And he said, What pledge shall I giue thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staffe, that is in thine hand: and he gaue it her, & came in vnto her, and she conceived by him.

19And shee arose and went away, and laid by her vaile from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

20And Iudah sent the kidde by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the womans hand: but he found her not.

21Then hee asked the men of that place, saying, where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.

22And he returned to Iudah, and said, I cannot finde her: and also the men of the place said, That there was no harlot in this place.

23And Iudah said, Let her take it to her, lest we bee shamed: behold, I sent this kidde, and thou hast not found her.

24And it came to passe about three moneths after, that it was tolde Iudah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot, and also behold, she is with child by whoredom: and Iudah said, Bring her foorth, and let her be burnt.

25When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man whose these are, am I with child: and shee said, Discerne, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staffe.

26And Iudah acknowledged them, and said, She hath bin more righteous then I: because that I gaue her not to Shelah my sonne: and he knew her againe no more.

27 And it came to passe in the time of her trauaile, that beholde, twinnes were in her wombe.

28And it came to passe when shee trauailed, that the one put out his hand, and the midwife tooke and bound vpon his hand a skarlet threed, saying, This came out first.

29And it came to passe as he drewe backe his hand, that behold, his brother came out: and she said, how hast thou broken foorth? this breach bee vpon thee: Therefore his name was called Pharez.

30And afterward came out his brother that had the skarlet threed vpon his hand, and his name was called Zarah.

I == Gen 19:3 ; 2nd Kings 4:8

 

II == Gen 34:2 ; 1st Chr 2:3

 

 

III == Gen 46:12 ; Num 26:19

 

IV == Gen 46:12 ; Num 26:19

V == Gen 46:12 ; Num 26:20

 

 

VI == Gen 21:21

 

VII Gen 46:12 ; Num 26:19 ; 1st Chr 2:3

VIII == Mt 22:24 ; Mk 12:19 ; Lk 20:28

 

IX == Deut 25:6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIII == Josh 15:10 , 57 ; Judg 14:1

 

XIV == Gen 38:11 , 26 ; Prov 7:12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XVII == Gen 38:20 ; Ezek 16:33

 

XVIII == Gen 38:25

 

 

 

XIX == Gen 38:14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIV == Lev 21:9 ; Deut 22:21 ; Judg 19:2

 

 

 

XXV == Gen 37:32 ; 38:18

XXVI == Gen 37:33 ; 38:14 ; 1st Sam 24:17 ; Job 34:31-32

 

XXIX == Gen 46:12 ; Num 26:20 ; 1st Chr 2:4 ; Matt 1:3

 

 

1 About that time Judah parted from his brothers and pitched his tent near a certain Adullamite named Hirah.

2 There he met the daughter of a Canaanite named Shua, married her, and had relations with her.

3 She conceived and bore a son, whom she named Er.

4 Again she conceived and bore a son, whom she named Onan.

5 Then she bore still another son, whom she named Shelah. They were in Chezib when he was born.

6 Judah got a wife named Tamar for his first-born, Er.

7 But Er, Judah's first-born, greatly offended the LORD; so the LORD took his life.

8 Then Judah said to Onan, "Unite with your brother's widow, in fulfillment of your duty as brother-in-law, and thus preserve your brother's line."

9 Onan, however, knew that the descendants would not be counted as his; so whenever he had relations with his brother's widow, he wasted his seed on the ground, to avoid contributing offspring for his brother. was aware that, although Shelah was now grown up, she had not been given to him in marriage.

10 What he did greatly offended the LORD, and the LORD took his life too. .

11 Thereupon Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Stay as a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up" - for he feared that Shelah also might die like his brothers. So Tamar went to live in her father's house.

12 Years passed, and Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah completed the period of mourning, he went up to Timnah for the shearing of his sheep, in company with his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13 When Tamar was told that her father-in-law was on his way up to Timnah to shear his sheep,

14 she took off her widow's garb, veiled her face by covering herself with a shawl, and sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah; for she was aware that, although Shelah was now grown up, she had not been given to him in marriage.

15 When Judah saw her, he mistook her for a harlot, since she had covered her face.

16 So he went over to her at the roadside, and not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he said, "Come, let me have intercourse with you." She replied, "What will you pay me for letting you have intercourse with me?"

17 He answered, "I will send you a kid from the flock." "Very well," she said, "provided you leave a pledge until you send it."

18 Judah asked, "What pledge am I to give to you?" She answered, "Your seal and cord, and the staff you carry." So he gave them to her and had intercourse with her, and she conceived by him.

19 When she went away, she took off her shawl and put on her widow's garb again.

20 Judah sent the kid by his friend the Adullamite to recover the pledge from the woman; but he could not find her.

21 So he asked the men of the place, "Where is the temple prostitute, the one by the roadside in Enaim?" But they answered, "There has never been a temple prostitute here."

22 He went back to Judah and told him, "I could not find her; and besides, the men of the place said there was no temple prostitute there."

23 "Let her keep the things," Judah replied; "otherwise we shall become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her the kid, even though you were unable to find her."

24 About three months later, Judah was told that his daughter-in-law Tamar had played the harlot and was then with child from her harlotry. "Bring her out," cried Judah; "she shall be burned."

25 But as they were bringing her out, she sent word to her father-in-law, "It is by the man to whom these things belong that I am with child. Please verify," she added, "whose seal and cord and whose staff these are."

26 Judah recognized them and said, "She is more in the right than I am, since I did not give her to my son Shelah." But he had no further relations with her.

27 When the time of her delivery came, she was found to have twins in her womb.

28 While she was giving birth, one infant put out his hand; and the midwife, taking a crimson thread, tied it on his hand, to note that this one came out first.

29 But as he withdrew his hand, his brother came out; and she said, "What a breach you have made for yourself!" So he was called Perez.

30 Afterward his brother came out; he was called Zerah.

v 1,2. Shua was the name of Judah’s wife’s father, not her. v 3-7. Er must have been extremely evil for the Lord to slay him. v 8. This practice eventually was in the Mosaic laws, see b above.

v 9,10. The sin was apparently not just preventing conception, but in refusal to raise up seed for his brother. Had he done so, he would have been an ancestor in the line of Christ, as it was to come through Judah. Though Christ was the sinless Son of God, His earthly line had many flaws, making it possible for Him to understand mankind as a fellow man, and qualify as a redeemer.

v 11. Judah sent her away because he had no intention of giving Shelah to her, and was unjust in assuming she was the cause of the deaths. v 12-16. Tamar knew Judah’s moral weakness and that he would be vulnerable since the death of his wife, or she would not have met thus. v 17-26. She was wise in securing the pledge which later saved her life. Self righteousness is so evident in Judah’s haste to have her burned, v 24, for the very sin of which he was guilty. He no doubt thought if she were killed, it would relieve him of the obligation of giving her Shelah. At last he admitted he had been more in the wrong than she had. 

v 27-30. This is the capstone of the story. Even though this was an immoral and incestuous relationship, it preserves the line of Judah. The one with the ribbon is counted as the firstborn. Perez means breach and Zerah means rising. Since technically Perez should have been born last, It may perpetuate the principal between Jacob and Esau that the elder will serve the younger if God chooses. Because Perez is in the line of Christ, Matt. 1:3, women mention him and Tamar in Ruth 4:12. We saw in the preceding chapter that the older brothers of Joseph were determined not to serve him. David's older brothers rebuked him. We may consider that we have an old and new nature. We are to bring the old nature into subjection to our new nature.

PHARES: This isc a division or breach