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Genesis 38:3-16 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

3. So she conceived and bore a son and he named him Er.

4. Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan.

5. She bore still another son and named him Shelah; and it was at Chezib that she bore him.

6. Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

7. But Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord took his life.

8. Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother."

9. Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother's wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother.

10. But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord; so He took his life also.

11. 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, "I am afraid that he too may die like his brothers." So Tamar went and lived in her father's house.

12. Now after a considerable time Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and when the time of mourning was ended, Judah went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13. It was told to Tamar, "Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep."

14. So she removed her widow's garments and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gateway of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she had not been given to him as a wife.

15. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face.

16. So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, "Here now, let me come in to you"; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?"

Read complete chapter Genesis 38