Genesis 38:1
וַֽיְהִי֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא
And it happened at that time,
וַיֵּ֥רֶד יְהוּדָ֖ה מֵאֵ֣ת אֶחָ֑יו
That Judah went down, away from his brethren;
וַיֵּ֛ט עַד־אִ֥ישׁ עֲדֻלָּמִ֖י וּשְׁמ֥וֹ חִירָֽה׃
And he turned aside to a certain Adullamite
(Adullam, Canaanite city – “closed in place”, hiding place),
whose name was Hiram;
Genesis 38:2
וַיַּרְא־שָׁ֧ם יְהוּדָ֛ה בַּת־אִ֥ישׁ כְּנַעֲנִ֖י וּשְׁמ֣וֹ שׁ֑וּעַ
And there Judah took note of a daughter of
a certain Canaanite, and his name was Shuah (cry for help);
וַיִּקָּחֶ֖הָ וַיָּבֹ֥א אֵלֶֽיהָ׃
And he took her, and went into unto her;
Genesis 38:3
וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן
And she conceived and bore a son,
וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ עֵֽר׃
And he named him Er (waking/excited/aroused);
Genesis 38:4
וַתַּ֥הַר ע֖וֹד וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן
And she conceived again and bore a son;
וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אוֹנָֽן׃
And she called his name Onan (nothingness/iniquity);
Genesis 38:5
וַתֹּ֤סֶף עוֹד֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן
Then yet again, — and she bore a son,
וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שֵׁלָ֑ה
and she called his name Shelah (petiton);
וְהָיָ֥ה בִכְזִ֖יב בְּלִדְתָּ֥הּ אֹתֽוֹ׃
Now he had been in Chezib (deceitful) when she bore him;
Genesis 38:6
וַיִּקַּ֧ח יְהוּדָ֛ה אִשָּׁ֖ה לְעֵ֣ר בְּכוֹר֑וֹ
…And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn;
וּשְׁמָ֖הּ תָּמָֽר׃
And her name was Tamar (palm tree);
Genesis 38:7
וַיְהִ֗י עֵ֚ר בְּכ֣וֹר יְהוּדָ֔ה רַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה
Now it turned out that Er, Judah’s firstborn,
was wicked in the eyes of the LORD;
וַיְמִתֵ֖הוּ יְהוָֽה׃
And the LORD caused him to die;
Genesis 38:8
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוּדָה֙ לְאוֹנָ֔ן
And Judah said to Onan:
בֹּ֛א אֶל־אֵ֥שֶׁת אָחִ֖יךָ וְיַבֵּ֣ם אֹתָ֑הּ
“Go in to the wife of your deceased brother,
and consummate marriage with her;
וְהָקֵ֥ם זֶ֖רַע לְאָחִֽיךָ׃
And raise seed for your brother.”
Genesis 38:9
וַיֵּ֣דַע אוֹנָ֔ן כִּ֛י לֹּ֥א ל֖וֹ יִהְיֶ֣ה הַזָּ֑רַע
But Onan knew that the seed would not be his;
וְהָיָ֞ה אִם־בָּ֨א אֶל־אֵ֤שֶׁת אָחִיו֙ וְשִׁחֵ֣ת אַ֔רְצָה
And it happened,
even though he went in unto the wife of his brother,
that he annihilated the genetic material to the earth,
לְבִלְתִּ֥י נְתָן־זֶ֖רַע לְאָחִֽיו׃
so as not to give offspring to his brother;
Genesis 38:10
וַיֵּ֛רַע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה
Now what he had done
was evil in the eyes of the LORD;
וַיָּ֖מֶת גַּם־אֹתֽוֹ׃
So he also caused him to die;
Genesis 38:11
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָה֩ לְתָמָ֨ר כַּלָּת֜וֹ
And Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law:
שְׁבִ֧י אַלְמָנָ֣ה בֵית־אָבִ֗יךְ
“Remain a widow in your patriarch’s household,
עַד־יִגְדַּל֙ שֵׁלָ֣ה בְנְ֔י
until my son Shelah grows up”,
כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר פֶּן־יָמ֥וּת גַּם־ה֖וּא כְּאֶחָ֑יו
For he thought,
“In case he should also die, like his brothers.”;
וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ תָּמָ֔ר וַתֵּ֖שֶׁב בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיהָ׃ ס
And so Tamar proceeded,
and she stayed in her patriarch’s household.
Genesis 38:12
וַיִּרְבּוּ֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים
Now the days became many,
וַתָּ֖מָת בַּת־שׁ֣וּעַ אֵֽשֶׁת־יְהוּדָ֑ה
And the daughter of Shuah, Judah’s wife, died;
וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהוּדָ֗ה
And when Judah was consoled,
וַיַּ֜עַל עַל־גֹּֽזֲזֵ֤י צֹאנוֹ֙
Then he went up to the shearers of his sheep,
ה֗וּא וְחִירָ֛ה רֵעֵ֥הוּ הָעֲדֻלָּמִ֖י תִּמְנָֽתָה׃
He and Hirah, his friend the Adullamite, towards Timnah;
Genesis 38:13
וַיֻּגַּ֥ד לְתָמָ֖ר לֵאמֹ֑ר
And Tamar was told, saying:
הִנֵּ֥ה חָמִ֛יךְ עֹלֶ֥ה תִמְנָ֖תָה לָגֹ֥ז צֹאנֽוֹ׃
“Behold! your father-in-law is going up to Timnah,
to shear his flock.”
Genesis 38:14
וַתָּסַר֩ בִּגְדֵ֨י אַלְמְנוּתָ֜הּ מֵֽעָלֶ֗יהָ
Then she put aside the garments of her widowhood, from off herself,
וַתְּכַ֤ס בַּצָּעִיף֙ וַתִּתְעַלָּ֔ף
And she concealed herself with a veil and wrapped herself up,
וַתֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ בְּפֶ֣תַח עֵינַ֔יִם
And then she sat at the entrance of Enaim
(two springs or two viewpoints),
אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־דֶּ֣רֶךְ תִּמְנָ֑תָה
which is on the way to Timnah;
כִּ֤י רָאֲתָה֙ כִּֽי־גָדַ֣ל שֵׁלָ֔ה
Because she had taken note that Shelah had grown up
וְהִ֕וא לֹֽא־נִתְּנָ֥ה ל֖וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃
But she herself had not been given to him as wife.
Genesis 38:15
וַיִּרְאֶ֣הָ יְהוּדָ֔ה וֽ͏ַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֖הָ לְזוֹנָ֑ה
And Judah looked at her,
and took her for a prostitute;
כִּ֥י כִסְּתָ֖ה פָּנֶֽיהָ׃
Since she had covered her face;
Genesis 38:16
וַיֵּ֨ט אֵלֶ֜יהָ אֶל־הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ
And he turned aside to her by the wayside,
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽבָה־נָּא֙ אָב֣וֹא אֵלַ֔יִךְ
And he said to her, “Come on! let me come in to you!”
כִּ֚י לֹ֣א יָדַ֔ע כִּ֥י כַלָּת֖וֹ הִ֑וא
For he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law;
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מַה־תִּתֶּן־לִּ֔י
And she said, “What will you give me,
כִּ֥י תָב֖וֹא אֵלָֽי׃
So that you should come in to me?”
Genesis 38:17
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר
And he said,
אָנֹכִ֛י אֲשַׁלַּ֥ח גְּדִֽי־עִזִּ֖ים מִן־הַצֹּ֑אן
I will definitely send you a goat kid from the flock!
וַתֹּ֕אמֶר אִם־תִּתֵּ֥ן עֵרָב֖וֹן עַ֥ד שָׁלְחֶֽךָ׃
But she said, “Only if you give a security guarantee,
until you have sent it!”
Genesis 38:18
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר
And he said:
מָ֣ה הֽ͏ָעֵרָבוֹן֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶתֶּן־לָּךְ֒
“What is the security, that which I should give you?”
וַתֹּ֗אמֶר
And she said:
חֹתָֽמְךָ֙ וּפְתִילֶ֔ךָ וּמַטְּךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ
“Your signet ring together with your binding cord,
and your staff that is in your hand.”
וַיִּתֶּן־לָּ֛הּ וַיָּבֹ֥א אֵלֶ֖יהָ וַתַּ֥הַר לֽוֹ׃
Then he delivered up to her, and then he came in to her,
and she became pregnant by him.
Genesis 38:19
וַתָּ֣קָם וַתֵּ֔לֶךְ
Then she arose and proceeded,
וַתָּ֥סַר צְעִיפָ֖הּ מֵעָלֶ֑יהָ
And she took off her veil from over her;
וַתִּלְבַּ֖שׁ בִּגְדֵ֥י אַלְמְנוּתָֽהּ׃
And she put on the garments of her widowhood.
Genesis 38:20
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יְהוּדָ֜ה אֶת־גְּדִ֣י הָֽעִזִּ֗ים
And Judah sent the goat kid,
בְּיַד֙ רֵעֵ֣הוּ הָֽעֲדֻלָּמִ֔י
By the hand of his friend the Adullamite,
לָקַ֥חַת הָעֵרָב֖וֹן מִיַּ֣ד הָאִשָּׁ֑ה
To fetch the security from the hand of the woman;
וְלֹ֖א מְצָאָֽהּ׃
But he did not find her;
Genesis 38:21
וַיִּשְׁאַ֞ל אֶת־אַנְשֵׁ֤י מְקֹמָהּ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר
And he asked the men of the place, saying,
אַיֵּ֧ה הַקְּדֵשָׁ֛ה הִ֥וא בָעֵינַ֖יִם עַל־הַדָּ֑רֶךְ
“Where is the cult prostitute,
she at Two Viewpoints, by the wayside?”
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ לֹא־הָיְתָ֥ה בָזֶ֖ה קְדֵשָֽׁה׃
And they said,
“There has never been a cult prostitute in this place !”
Genesis 38:22
וַיָּ֙שָׁב֙ אֶל־יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֹ֣א מְצָאתִ֑יהָ
So he went back to Judah, and he said,
“I did not find her;
וְגַ֨ם אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ אָֽמְר֔וּ
And also the men of that place, they said:
לֹא־הָיְתָ֥ה בָזֶ֖ה קְדֵשָֽׁה׃
‘There has never been a cult prostitute here.’ ”
Genesis 38:23
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוּדָה֙ תִּֽקַּֽח־לָ֔הּ
And Judah said, “Let her take them for herself,
פֶּ֖ן נִהְיֶ֣ה לָב֑וּז
Lest we should become the laughingstock of contempt;
הִנֵּ֤ה שָׁלַ֙חְתִּי֙ הַגְּדִ֣י הַזֶּ֔ה
Lo! I sent this kid,
וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א מְצָאתָֽהּ׃
And you yourself did not find her!”
Genesis 38:24
וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כְּמִשְׁלֹ֣שׁ חֳדָשִׁ֗ים
Now it happened after about three months,
וַיֻּגַּ֨ד לִֽיהוּדָ֤ה לֽ͏ֵאמֹר֙ זָֽנְתָה֙ תָּמָ֣ר כַּלָּתֶ֔ךָ
Then Judah was told, saying,
“Tamar your daughter-in-law has committed fornication,
וְגַ֛ם הִנֵּ֥ה הָרָ֖ה לִזְנוּנִ֑ים
and besides now is pregnant! — through harlotry”;
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָ֔ה הוֹצִיא֖וּהָ וְתִשָּׂרֵֽף׃
Then Judah said, “Bring her out, and she shall be burned”.
Genesis 38:25
הִ֣וא מוּצֵ֗את
As she was being brought forth,
וְהִ֨יא שָׁלְחָ֤ה אֶל־חָמִ֙יהָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר
Then she pointed the finger to her father-in-law,
saying:
לְאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁר־אֵ֣לֶּה לּ֔וֹ אָנֹכִ֖י הָרָ֑ה
“To a man to whom these belong, I am pregnant!”
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַכֶּר־נָ֔א
And then she said “Please take careful note,
לְמִ֞י הַחֹתֶ֧מֶת וְהַפְּתִילִ֛ים וְהַמַּטֶּ֖ה אֵֽלֶּה׃
Whose these are,— the signet ring and binding cord,
and the staff!”
Genesis 38:26
וַיַּכֵּ֣ר יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ צָֽדְקָ֣ה מִמֶּ֔נִּי
Then Judah acknowledged, and he said:
“She is in the right more than I,
כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֥ן לֹא־נְתַתִּ֖יהָ לְשֵׁלָ֣ה בְנִ֑י
Inasmuch as I had not given her to Shelah my son.”
וְלֹֽא־יָסַ֥ף ע֖וֹד לְדַעְתָּֽה׃
Also he never again would be knowing her sexually.
Genesis 38:27
וַיְהִ֖י בְּעֵ֣ת לִדְתָּ֑הּ
And it eventuated, at the time of her giving birth,
וְהִנֵּ֥ה תְאוֹמִ֖ים בְּבִטְנָֽהּ׃
Then behold, twins were in her womb!
Genesis 38:28
וַיְהִ֥י בְלִדְתָּ֖הּ וַיִּתֶּן־יָ֑ד
Now it happened while she gave birth, that one presented a hand;
וַתִּקַּ֣ח הַמְיַלֶּ֗דֶת
Then the midwife took
וַתִּקְשֹׁ֨ר עַל־יָד֤וֹ שָׁנִי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר
and bound a scarlet thread upon his hand, saying:
זֶ֖ה יָצָ֥א רִאשֹׁנָֽה׃
“This one came out first”;
Genesis 38:29
וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כְּמֵשִׁ֣יב יָד֗וֹ
And it happened, when he was withdrawing his hand,
וְהִנֵּה֙ יָצָ֣א אָחִ֔יו
Then behold his brother came forth!
וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מַה־פָּרַ֖צְתָּ
And she said, “How did you burst forth…
עָלֶ֣יךָ פָּ֑רֶץ
A bursting forth for yourself!?”
וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ פָּֽרֶץ׃
And she called his name Perez (A bursting forth);
Genesis 38:30
וְאַחַר֙ יָצָ֣א אָחִ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־יָד֖וֹ הַשָּׁנִ֑י
And following, his brother came out,
the one upon whose hand was the scarlet thread;
וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ זָֽרַח׃ ס
And he named him Zerah (a shining out).
Website translation into English by E.G. Van Gent
The Hebrew Masoretic Text is Unicode/XML version 1.3 Leningrad Codex,
Build 26.4 from tanach.us
Dramatized Modern Hebrew Audio Version, Genesis 38
Copyright to Hebrew Audio of Old Testament
℗ 2014 Bible Society in Israel and Hosanna
Distributed by and Available from The Bible Society In Israel
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