Genesis 38 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Genesis 38 (WEBP)

[1] At that time, Judah went down from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
[2] There, Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite man named Shua. He took her, and went in to her.
[3] She conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er.
[4] She conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan.
[5] She yet again bore a son, and named him Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.
[6] Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
[7] Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in Yahweh’s sight. So Yahweh killed him.
[8] Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.”
[9] Onan knew that the offspring wouldn’t be his; and when he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother.
[10] The thing which he did was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and he killed him also.
[11] Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, until Shelah, my son, is grown up;” for he said, “Lest he also die, like his brothers.” Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.
[12] After many days, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah, the Adullamite.
[13] Tamar was told, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”
[14] She took off the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she wasn’t given to him as a wife.
[15] When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.
[16] He turned to her by the way, and said, “Please come, let me come in to you,” for he didn’t know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?”
[17] He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” She said, “Will you give me a pledge, until you send it?”
[18] He said, “What pledge will I give you?” She said, “Your signet and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” He gave them to her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him.
[19] She arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
[20] Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend, the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, but he didn’t find her.
[21] Then he asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the prostitute, that was at Enaim by the road?” They said, “There has been no prostitute here.”
[22] He returned to Judah, and said, “I haven’t found her; and also the men of the place said, ‘There has been no prostitute here.’ ”
[23] Judah said, “Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this young goat, and you haven’t found her.”
[24] About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute. Moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution.” Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.”
[25] When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man who owns these.” She also said, “Please discern whose these are—the signet, and the cords, and the staff.”
[26] Judah acknowledged them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, because I didn’t give her to Shelah, my son.” He knew her again no more.
[27] In the time of her travail, behold, twins were in her womb.
[28] When she travailed, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This came out first.”
[29] As he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out, and she said, “Why have you made a breach for yourself?” Therefore his name was called Perez.
[30] Afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

Genesis 38:29 Perez means “breaking out”.
Genesis 38:30 Zerah means “scarlet” or “brightness”.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Genesis 38 (KJVS)

[1] And it came to pass at that time , that Judah went down () from his brethren , and turned () in to a certain Adullamite , whose name [was] Hirah .
[2] And Judah saw () there a daughter of a certain Canaanite , whose name [was] Shuah ; and he took her (), and went in () unto her.
[3] And she conceived (), and bare () a son ; and he called () his name Er .
[4] And she conceived () again, and bare () a son ; and she called () his name Onan .
[5] And she yet again conceived (), and bare () a son ; and called () his name Shelah : and he was at Chezib , when she bare () him.
[6] And Judah took () a wife for Er his firstborn , whose name [was] Tamar .
[7] And Er , Judah’s firstborn , was wicked in the sight of the LORD ; and the LORD slew () him.
[8] And Judah said () unto Onan , Go in () unto thy brother’s wife , and marry () her, and raise up () seed to thy brother .
[9] And Onan knew () that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in () unto his brother’s wife , that he spilled () [it] on the ground , lest that he should give () seed to his brother .
[10] And the thing which he did () displeased () the LORD : wherefore he slew () him also.
[11] Then said () Judah to Tamar his daughter in law , Remain () a widow at thy father’s house , till Shelah my son be grown (): for he said (), Lest peradventure he die () also, as his brethren [did]. And Tamar went () and dwelt () in her father’s house .
[12] And in process () of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died (); and Judah was comforted (), and went up () unto his sheepshearers () to Timnath , he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite .
[13] And it was told () Tamar , saying (), Behold thy father in law goeth up () to Timnath to shear () his sheep .
[14] And she put her widow’s garments off () from her, and covered her () with a vail , and wrapped herself (), and sat in () an open place , which [is] by the way to Timnath ; for she saw () that Shelah was grown (), and she was not given () unto him to wife .
[15] When Judah saw her (), he thought () her [to be] an harlot (); because she had covered () her face .
[16] And he turned () unto her by the way , and said (), Go to (), I pray thee, let me come in () unto thee; (for he knew () not that she [was] his daughter in law .) And she said (), What wilt thou give () me, that thou mayest come in () unto me?
[17] And he said (), I will send () [thee] a kid from the flock . And she said (), Wilt thou give () [me] a pledge , till thou send () [it]?
[18] And he said (), What pledge shall I give () thee? And she said (), Thy signet , and thy bracelets , and thy staff that [is] in thine hand . And he gave () [it] her, and came in () unto her, and she conceived () by him.
[19] And she arose (), and went away (), and laid by () her vail from her, and put on () the garments of her widowhood .
[20] And Judah sent () the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite , to receive () [his] pledge from the woman’s hand : but he found her () not.
[21] Then he asked () the men of that place , saying (), Where [is] the harlot , that [was] openly by the way side ? And they said (), There was no harlot in this [place].
[22] And he returned () to Judah , and said (), I cannot find () her; and also the men of the place said (), [that] there was no harlot in this [place].
[23] And Judah said (), Let her take () [it] to her, lest we be shamed : behold, I sent () this kid , and thou hast not found () her.
[24] And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told () Judah , saying (), Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot (); and also, behold, she [is] with child by whoredom . And Judah said (), Bring her forth (), and let her be burnt ().
[25] When she [was] brought forth (), she sent () to her father in law , saying (), By the man , whose these [are, am] I with child : and she said (), Discern (), I pray thee, whose [are] these, the signet , and bracelets , and staff .
[26] And Judah acknowledged () [them], and said (), She hath been more righteous () than I; because that I gave () her not to Shelah my son . And he knew her () again () no more.
[27] And it came to pass in the time of her travail (), that, behold, twins [were] in her womb .
[28] And it came to pass, when she travailed (), that [the one] put out () [his] hand : and the midwife () took () and bound () upon his hand a scarlet thread , saying (), This came out () first .
[29] And it came to pass, as he drew back () his hand , that, behold, his brother came out (): and she said (), How hast thou broken forth ()? [this] breach [be] upon thee: therefore his name was called () Pharez .
[30] And afterward came out () his brother , that had the scarlet thread upon his hand : and his name was called () Zarah .

Young’s Literal Translation

Genesis 38 (YLT)

[1] And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Judah goeth down from his brethren, and turneth aside unto a man, an Adullamite, whose name is Hirah;
[2] and Judah seeth there the daughter of a man, a Canaanite, whose name is Shuah, and taketh her, and goeth in unto her.
[3] And she conceiveth, and beareth a son, and he calleth his name Er;
[4] and she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Onan;
[5] and she addeth again, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Shelah; and he was in Chezib in her bearing him.
[6] And Judah taketh a wife for Er, his first-born, and her name is Tamar;
[7] and Er, Judah’s first-born, is evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and Jehovah doth put him to death.
[8] And Judah saith to Onan, ‘Go in unto the wife of thy brother, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother;’
[9] and Onan knoweth that the seed is not reckoned his; and it hath come to pass, if he hath gone in unto his brother’s wife, that he hath destroyed it to the earth, so as not to give seed to his brother;
[10] and that which he hath done is evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and He putteth him also to death.
[11] And Judah saith to Tamar his daughter-in-law, ‘Abide a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son groweth up;’ for he said, ‘Lest he die-even he-like his brethren;’ and Tamar goeth and dwelleth at her father’s house.
[12] And the days are multiplied, and the daughter of Shuah, Judah’s wife, dieth; and Judah is comforted, and goeth up unto his sheep-shearers, he and Hirah his friend the Adullamite, to Timnath.
[13] And it is declared to Tamar, saying, ‘Lo, thy husband’s father is going up to Timnath to shear his flock;’
[14] and she turneth aside the garments of her widowhood from off her, and covereth herself with a vail, and wrappeth herself up, and sitteth in the opening of Enayim, which is by the way to Timnath, for she hath seen that Shelah hath grown up, and she hath not been given to him for a wife.
[15] And Judah seeth her, and reckoneth her for a harlot, for she hath covered her face,
[16] and he turneth aside unto her by the way, and saith, ‘Come, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee,’ (for he hath not known that she is his daughter-in-law); and she saith, ‘What dost thou give to me, that thou mayest come in unto me?’
[17] and he saith, ‘I-I send a kid of the goats from the flock.’ And she saith, ‘Dost thou give a pledge till thou send it?’
[18] and he saith, ‘What is the pledge that I give to thee?’ and she saith, ‘Thy seal, and thy ribbon, and thy staff which is in thy hand;’ and he giveth to her, and goeth in unto her, and she conceiveth to him;
[19] and she riseth, and goeth, and turneth aside her vail from off her, and putteth on the garments of her widowhood.
[20] And Judah sendeth the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the hand of the woman, and he hath not found her.
[21] And he asketh the men of her place, saying, ‘Where is the separated one-she in Enayim, by the way?’ and they say, ‘There hath not been in this place a separated one.’
[22] And he turneth back unto Judah, and saith, ‘I have not found her; and the men of the place also have said, There hath not been in this place a separated one,’
[23] and Judah saith, ‘Let her take to herself, lest we become despised; lo, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.’
[24] And it cometh to pass about three months after, that it is declared to Judah, saying, ‘Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath committed fornication; and also, lo, she hath conceived by fornication:’ and Judah saith, ‘Bring her out-and she is burnt.’
[25] She is brought out, and she hath sent unto her husband’s father, saying, ‘To a man whose these are, I am pregnant;’ and she saith, ‘Discern, I pray thee, whose are these-the seal, and the ribbons, and the staff.’
[26] And Judah discerneth and saith, ‘She hath been more righteous than I, because that I did not give her to Shelah my son;’ and he hath not added to know her again.
[27] And it cometh to pass in the time of her bearing, that lo, twins are in her womb;
[28] and it cometh to pass in her bearing, that one giveth out a hand, and the midwife taketh and bindeth on his hand a scarlet thread, saying, ‘This hath come out first.’
[29] And it cometh to pass as he draweth back his hand, that lo, his brother hath come out, and she saith, ‘What! thou hast broken forth-on thee is the breach;’ and he calleth his name Pharez;
[30] and afterwards hath his brother come out, on whose hand is the scarlet thread, and he calleth his name Zarah.