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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Genesis 38 Christian Standard Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/genesis/38.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/genesis/38-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CSB</a> > Genesis 38</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="../menu.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../genesis/37.htm" title="Genesis 37">◄</a> Genesis 38 <a href="../genesis/39.htm" title="Genesis 39">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">Christian Standard Bible</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/csb/esv/genesis/38.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Verses"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><section epub:type="chapter" id="csb-Genesis.38" /><h3 class="head1">Judah and Tamar</h3><p class="noind"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.1" /><A name="2"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>At that time Judah left his brothers and settled near an Adullamite<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Genesis.38.1.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> named Hirah. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.2" /> <A name="3"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite named Shua; he took her as a wife and slept with her. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.3" /> <A name="4"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>She conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him Er.<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Genesis.38.3.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.4" /> <A name="5"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and named him Onan. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.5" /> <A name="6"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>She gave birth to another son and named him Shelah. It was at Chezib that<a epub:type="noteref" href="#fn.Genesis.38.5.1"><span class="fnAlphabet">a</span></a> <a epub:type="noteref" href="#fn.Genesis.38.5.2"><span class="fnAlphabet">B</span></a> she gave birth to him.</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.6" /> <A name="7"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.7" /> <A name="8"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Now Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the L<span class="smallcaps">ord</span>’s sight, and the L<span class="smallcaps">ord</span> put him to death.<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Genesis.38.7.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.8" /> <A name="9"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Genesis.38.8.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> and produce offspring for your brother.”<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Genesis.38.8.2"><span class="xrfAlphabet">b</span></a> <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.9" /> <A name="10"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he released his semen on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.10" /> <A name="11"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>What he did was evil in the L<span class="smallcaps">ord</span>’s sight, so he put him to death also.</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.11" /> <A name="12"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up.”<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Genesis.38.11.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> For he thought, “He might die too, like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.12" /> <A name="13"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>After a long time<a epub:type="noteref" href="#fn.Genesis.38.12.1"><span class="fnAlphabet">A</span></a> Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had finished mourning, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to Timnah<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Genesis.38.12.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> to his sheepshearers. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.13" /> <A name="14"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.14" /> <A name="15"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>So she took off her widow’s clothes, veiled her face,<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Genesis.38.14.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> covered herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had grown up, she had not been given to him as a wife. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.15" /> <A name="16"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.16" /> <A name="17"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>He went over to her and said, “Come, let me sleep with you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law.<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Genesis.38.16.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a></p><p class="scripture">She said, “What will you give me for sleeping with me? ”</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.17" /> <A name="18"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>“I will send you a young goat from my flock,” he replied.</p><p class="scripture">But she said, “Only if you leave something with me until you send it.”</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.18" /> <A name="19"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>“What should I give you? ” he asked.</p><p class="scripture">She answered, “Your signet ring, your cord, and the staff in your hand.” So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.19" /> <A name="20"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>She got up and left, then removed her veil and put her widow’s clothes back on.</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.20" /> <A name="21"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get back the items he had left with the woman, he could not find her. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.21" /> <A name="22"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>He asked the men of the place, “Where is the cult prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim? ”</p><p class="scripture">“There has been no cult prostitute here,” they answered.</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.22" /> <A name="23"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>So the Adullamite returned to Judah, saying, “I couldn’t find her, and besides, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’ ”</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.23" /> <A name="24"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>Judah replied, “Let her keep the items for herself; otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.24" /> <A name="25"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law, Tamar, has been acting like a prostitute, and now she is pregnant.”</p><p class="scripture">“Bring her out,” Judah said, “and let her be burned to death! ”<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Genesis.38.24.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a></p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.25" /> <A name="26"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>As she was being brought out, she sent her father-in-law this message: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these items belong.” And she added, “Examine them. Whose signet ring, cord, and staff are these? ”</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.26" /> <A name="27"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>Judah recognized them and said, “She is more in the right<a epub:type="noteref" href="#fn.Genesis.38.26.1"><span class="fnAlphabet">A</span></a> than I,<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Genesis.38.26.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her intimately again.</p><p class="scripture"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.27" /> <A name="28"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>When the time came for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.28" /> <A name="29"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand, and the midwife took it and tied a scarlet thread around it, announcing, “This one came out first.” <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.29" /> <A name="30"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>But then he pulled his hand back, out came his brother, and she said, “What a breakout you have made for yourself! ” So he was named Perez.<a epub:type="noteref" href="#fn.Genesis.38.29.1"><span class="fnAlphabet">a</span></a> <a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.Genesis.38.29.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-Genesis.38.30" /> <span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/38-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread tied to his hand, came out, and was named Zerah.<a epub:type="noteref" href="#fn.Genesis.38.30.1"><span class="fnAlphabet">A</span></a></p><br /><section id="footnotes-Genesis.38" class="fnSection"><aside id="fn.Genesis.38.5.1"><span class="footnote-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.5">38:5</a></span> LXX reads <span class="italic">She was at Chezib when</span></aside><aside id="fn.Genesis.38.5.2"><span class="footnote-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.5">38:5</a></span> Or <span class="italic">He was at Chezib when</span></aside><aside id="fn.Genesis.38.12.1"><span class="footnote-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.12">38:12</a></span> Lit <span class="italic">And there were many days, and</span></aside><aside id="fn.Genesis.38.26.1"><span class="footnote-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.26">38:26</a></span> Or <span class="italic">more righteous</span></aside><aside id="fn.Genesis.38.29.1"><span class="footnote-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.29">38:29</a></span> = Breaking Out</aside><aside id="fn.Genesis.38.30.1"><span class="footnote-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.30">38:30</a></span> = Brightness of Sunrise; perhaps related to the scarlet thread</aside><br /><section id="cross-references-Genesis.38" class="xrfSection"><aside id="xrf.Genesis.38.1.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.1">38:1</a></span> Jos 15:35; 1Sm 22:1</aside><aside id="xrf.Genesis.38.3.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.3">38:3</a></span> Gn 46:12; Nm 26:19</aside><aside id="xrf.Genesis.38.7.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.7">38:7</a></span> 1Ch 2:3</aside><aside id="xrf.Genesis.38.8.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.8">38:8</a></span> Dt 25:5–10</aside><aside id="xrf.Genesis.38.8.2"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.8">38:8</a></span> Mt 22:24</aside><aside id="xrf.Genesis.38.11.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.11">38:11</a></span> Ru 1:12–13</aside><aside id="xrf.Genesis.38.12.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.12">38:12</a></span> Jos 15:10,57</aside><aside id="xrf.Genesis.38.14.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.14">38:14</a></span> Gn 24:65</aside><aside id="xrf.Genesis.38.16.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.16">38:16</a></span> Lv 18:15</aside><aside id="xrf.Genesis.38.24.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.24">38:24</a></span> Lv 20:14</aside><aside id="xrf.Genesis.38.26.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.26">38:26</a></span> 1Sm 24:17</aside><aside id="xrf.Genesis.38.29.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-Genesis.38.29">38:29</a></span> Gn 46:12; Nm 26:20; 1Ch 2:4; Mt 1:3</aside><br /><section id="study-notes-Genesis.38" class="snSection"><br /></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Christian Standard Bible. 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