Genesis 38:5-15

New King James Version

⁵ And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name ^(A)Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.

⁶ Then Judah ^(B)took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was ^(C)Tamar. ⁷ But ^(D)Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, ^(E)and the Lord killed him. ⁸ And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to ^(F)your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.” ⁹ But Onan knew that the heir would not be ^(G)his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. ¹⁰ And the thing which he did ^[a]displeased the Lord; therefore He killed ^(H)him also.

¹¹ Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, ^(I)“Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown.” For he said, “Lest he also die like his brothers.” And Tamar went and dwelt ^(J)in her father’s house.

¹² Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; and Judah ^(K)was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. ¹³ And it was told Tamar, saying, “Look, your father-in-law is going up ^(L)to Timnah to shear his sheep.” ¹⁴ So she took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and ^(M)sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah; for she saw ^(N)that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife. ¹⁵ When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face.