Thematic Bible
Genesis 38:1 (show verse)
At that time Judah left his brothers and settled near an Adullamite named Hirah.
Genesis 38:2 (show verse)
There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite named Shua; he took her as a wife and slept with her.
Genesis 38:3 (show verse)
She conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him Er.
Genesis 38:4 (show verse)
She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and named him Onan.
Genesis 38:5 (show verse)
She gave birth to another son and named him Shelah. It was at Chezib that she gave birth to him.
Genesis 38:6 (show verse)
Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
Genesis 38:7 (show verse)
Now Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the Lord’s sight, and the Lord put him to death.
Genesis 38:8 (show verse)
Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and produce offspring for your brother.”
Genesis 38:9 (show verse)
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.
Genesis 38:10 (show verse)
What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so He put him to death also.
Genesis 38:11 (show verse)
Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He might die too, like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.
Genesis 38:12 (show verse)
After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had finished mourning, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to Timnah to the sheepshearers.
Genesis 38:13 (show verse)
Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”
Genesis 38:14 (show verse)
So she took off her widow’s clothes, veiled her face, 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.
Adultery » Instances of » Judah
Judah » Son of jacob » His incest with his daughter-in-law
Masking » By tamar
Mourning » Wearing mourning clothes
Sheep » Shearing of
Shelah » Son of judah
Tamar » Wife of the sons of judah
Timnath » A city
Veil » A covering for the face
Veil » Worn » By tamar
Veil or veil » Was worn » For concealment
Veil or veil » A covering for the head usually worn by women
Widow's » Were clothed in mourning after the decease of husbands
Women » Instances of » Tamar, in her adultery
Judah » Son of jacob » His incest with his daughter-in-law
Masking » By tamar
Mourning » Wearing mourning clothes
Sheep » Shearing of
Shelah » Son of judah
Tamar » Wife of the sons of judah
Timnath » A city
Veil » A covering for the face
Veil » Worn » By tamar
Veil or veil » Was worn » For concealment
Veil or veil » A covering for the head usually worn by women
Widow's » Were clothed in mourning after the decease of husbands
Women » Instances of » Tamar, in her adultery
Genesis 38:15 (show verse)
When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.
Genesis 38:16 (show verse)
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.
She said, “What will you give me for sleeping with me?”
She said, “What will you give me for sleeping with me?”
Genesis 38:17 (show verse)
“I will send you a young goat from my flock,” he replied.
But she said, “Only if you leave something with me until you send it.”
But she said, “Only if you leave something with me until you send it.”
Genesis 38:18 (show verse)
“What should I give you?” he asked.
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 got pregnant by him.
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 got pregnant by him.
Adorning » Rich apparel » Bracelets
Adultery » Instances of » Judah
Bracelet » By men
Incest » Instances of » Judah
Judah » Son of jacob » His incest with his daughter-in-law
Ornaments » Rich apparel » Bracelets
Rings » Antiquity of
Seal » A stamp used for signifying documents » Given as a pledge
Seals » Called signets
Tamar » Wife of the sons of judah
Women » Instances of » Tamar, in her adultery
Adultery » Instances of » Judah
Bracelet » By men
Incest » Instances of » Judah
Judah » Son of jacob » His incest with his daughter-in-law
Ornaments » Rich apparel » Bracelets
Rings » Antiquity of
Seal » A stamp used for signifying documents » Given as a pledge
Seals » Called signets
Tamar » Wife of the sons of judah
Women » Instances of » Tamar, in her adultery
Genesis 38:19 (show verse)
She got up and left, then removed her veil and put her widow’s clothes back on.
Genesis 38:20 (show verse)
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.
Genesis 38:21 (show verse)
He asked the men of the place, “Where is the cult prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?”
“There has been no cult prostitute here,” they answered.
“There has been no cult prostitute here,” they answered.
Genesis 38:22 (show verse)
So the Adullamite returned to Judah, saying, “I couldn’t find her, and furthermore, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’”
Genesis 38:23 (show verse)
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.”
Genesis 38:24 (show verse)
About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law, Tamar, has been acting like a prostitute, and now she is pregnant.”
“Bring her out!” Judah said. “Let her be burned to death!”
“Bring her out!” Judah said. “Let her be burned to death!”
Adultery » Instances of » Judah
Children » Power of parents over, during the patriarchal age
Judah » Son of jacob » His incest with his daughter-in-law
Patriarchal government » Exercised in » Acting as judges
Punishment » Death penalty » Modes of execution » Burning
Punishments » Burning
Punishments » Capital kinds of » Burning
Rulers' » Instances of » Judah
Tamar » Wife of the sons of judah
The Nation » Punishment » Burning
Women » Instances of » Tamar, in her adultery
Children » Power of parents over, during the patriarchal age
Judah » Son of jacob » His incest with his daughter-in-law
Patriarchal government » Exercised in » Acting as judges
Punishment » Death penalty » Modes of execution » Burning
Punishments » Burning
Punishments » Capital kinds of » Burning
Rulers' » Instances of » Judah
Tamar » Wife of the sons of judah
The Nation » Punishment » Burning
Women » Instances of » Tamar, in her adultery
Genesis 38:25 (show verse)
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?”
Genesis 38:26 (show verse)
Judah recognized them and said, “She is more in the right than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her intimately again.
Genesis 38:27 (show verse)
When the time came for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb.
Genesis 38:28 (show verse)
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.”
Genesis 38:29 (show verse)
But then he pulled his hand back, and his brother came out. Then she said, “You have broken out first!” So he was named Perez.
Genesis 38:30 (show verse)
Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread tied to his hand, came out, and was named Zerah.