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.

Genesis 38:10 Heb. was evil in the eyes of the Lord
Genesis 38:12 Heb. The days were multiplied
Genesis 38:14 Heb. the door of eyes, or, of Enajim
Genesis 38:17 Heb. a kid of the goats
Genesis 38:21 Or, in Enajim
Genesis 38:23 Heb. become a contempt
Genesis 38:29a Or, wherefor has thou made this branch against thee?
Genesis 38:29b That is, a breach

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

Genesis 38 (BYZ)

[1] Ἐγένετο () δὲ () ἐν () τῷ () καιρῷ () ἐκείνῳ () κατέβη () Ιουδας () ἀπὸ () τῶν () ἀδελφῶν () αὐτοῦ () καὶ () ἀφίκετο () ἕως () πρὸς () ἄνθρωπόν () τινα () Οδολλαμίτην, ᾧ () ὄνομα () Ιρας.
[2] Καὶ () εἶδεν () ἐκεῖ () Ιουδας () θυγατέρα () ἀνθρώπου () Χαναναίου, () ᾗ () ὄνομα () Σαυα, καὶ () ἔλαβεν () αὐτὴν () καὶ () εἰσῆλθεν () πρὸς () αὐτήν. ()
[3] Καὶ () συλλαβοῦσα () ἔτεκεν () υἱὸν () καὶ () ἐκάλεσεν () τὸ () ὄνομα () αὐτοῦ () Ηρ. ()
[4] Καὶ () συλλαβοῦσα () ἔτι () ἔτεκεν () υἱὸν () καὶ () ἐκάλεσεν () τὸ () ὄνομα () αὐτοῦ () Αυναν.
[5] Καὶ () προσθεῖσα () ἔτι () ἔτεκεν () υἱὸν () καὶ () ἐκάλεσεν () τὸ () ὄνομα () αὐτοῦ () Σηλωμ. Αὐτὴ () δὲ () ἦν () ἐν () Χασβι, ἡνίκα () ἔτεκεν () αὐτούς. ()
[6] Καὶ () ἔλαβεν () Ιουδας () γυναῖκα () Ηρ () τῷ () πρωτοτόκῳ () αὐτοῦ, () ᾗ () ὄνομα () Θαμαρ. ()
[7] Ἐγένετο () δὲ () Ηρ () πρωτότοκος () Ιουδα πονηρὸς () ἐναντίον () κυρίου, () καὶ () ἀπέκτεινεν () αὐτὸν () ὁ () θεός. ()
[8] Εἶπεν δὲ () Ιουδας () τῷ () Αυναν Εἴσελθε () πρὸς () τὴν () γυναῖκα () τοῦ () ἀδελφοῦ () σου () καὶ () γάμβρευσαι αὐτὴν () καὶ () ἀνάστησον () σπέρμα () τῷ () ἀδελφῷ () σου. ()
[9] Γνοὺς () δὲ () Αυναν ὅτι () οὐκ () αὐτῷ () ἔσται () τὸ () σπέρμα, () ἐγίνετο () ὅταν () εἰσήρχετο () πρὸς () τὴν () γυναῖκα () τοῦ () ἀδελφοῦ () αὐτοῦ, () ἐξέχεεν () ἐπὶ () τὴν () γῆν () τοῦ () μὴ () δοῦναι () σπέρμα () τῷ () ἀδελφῷ () αὐτοῦ. ()
[10] Πονηρὸν () δὲ () ἐφάνη () ἐναντίον () τοῦ () θεοῦ () ὅτι () ἐποίησεν () τοῦτο, () καὶ () ἐθανάτωσεν () καὶ () τοῦτον. ()
[11] Εἶπεν δὲ () Ιουδας () Θαμαρ () τῇ () νύμφῃ () αὐτοῦ () Κάθου () χήρα () ἐν () τῷ () οἴκῳ () τοῦ () πατρός () σου, () ἕως () μέγας () γένηται () Σηλωμ ὁ () υἱός () μου· () εἶπεν γάρ () Μήποτε () ἀποθάνῃ () καὶ () οὗτος () ὥσπερ () οἱ () ἀδελφοὶ () αὐτοῦ. () Ἀπελθοῦσα () δὲ () Θαμαρ () ἐκάθητο () ἐν () τῷ () οἴκῳ () τοῦ () πατρὸς () αὐτῆς. ()
[12] Ἐπληθύνθησαν () δὲ () αἱ () ἡμέραι () καὶ () ἀπέθανεν () Σαυα ἡ () γυνὴ () Ιουδα· καὶ () παρακληθεὶς () Ιουδας () ἀνέβη () ἐπὶ () τοὺς () κείροντας () τὰ () πρόβατα () αὐτοῦ, () αὐτὸς () καὶ () Ιρας ὁ () ποιμὴν () αὐτοῦ () ὁ () Οδολλαμίτης, εἰς () Θαμνα.
[13] Καὶ () ἀπηγγέλη () Θαμαρ () τῇ () νύμφῃ () αὐτοῦ () λέγοντες () Ἰδοὺ () ὁ () πενθερός () σου () ἀναβαίνει () εἰς () Θαμνα κεῖραι () τὰ () πρόβατα () αὐτοῦ. ()
[14] Καὶ () περιελομένη () τὰ () ἱμάτια () τῆς () χηρεύσεως ἀφ’ () ἑαυτῆς () περιεβάλετο () θέριστρον καὶ () ἐκαλλωπίσατο καὶ () ἐκάθισεν () πρὸς () ταῖς () πύλαις () Αιναν, ἥ () ἐστιν () ἐν () παρόδῳ () Θαμνα· εἶδεν () γὰρ () ὅτι () μέγας () γέγονεν () Σηλωμ, αὐτὸς () δὲ () οὐκ () ἔδωκεν () αὐτὴν () αὐτῷ () γυναῖκα. ()
[15] Καὶ () ἰδὼν () αὐτὴν () Ιουδας () ἔδοξεν () αὐτὴν () πόρνην () εἶναι· () κατεκαλύψατο () γὰρ () τὸ () πρόσωπον () αὐτῆς, () καὶ () οὐκ () ἐπέγνω () αὐτήν. ()
[16] Ἐξέκλινεν () δὲ () πρὸς () αὐτὴν () τὴν () ὁδὸν () καὶ () εἶπεν αὐτῇ () Ἔασόν () με () εἰσελθεῖν () πρὸς () σέ· () οὐ () γὰρ () ἔγνω () ὅτι () ἡ () νύμφη () αὐτοῦ () ἐστιν. () Ἡ () δὲ () εἶπεν Τί () μοι () δώσεις, () ἐὰν () εἰσέλθῃς () πρός () με; ()
[17] Ὁ () δὲ () εἶπεν Ἐγώ () σοι () ἀποστελῶ () ἔριφον () αἰγῶν ἐκ () τῶν () προβάτων. () Ἡ () δὲ () εἶπεν Ἐὰν () δῷς () ἀρραβῶνα () ἕως () τοῦ () ἀποστεῖλαί () σε. ()
[18] Ὁ () δὲ () εἶπεν Τίνα () τὸν () ἀρραβῶνά () σοι () δώσω; () Ἡ () δὲ () εἶπεν Τὸν () δακτύλιόν σου () καὶ () τὸν () ὁρμίσκον καὶ () τὴν () ῥάβδον () τὴν () ἐν () τῇ () χειρί () σου. () Καὶ () ἔδωκεν () αὐτῇ () καὶ () εἰσῆλθεν () πρὸς () αὐτήν, () καὶ () ἐν () γαστρὶ () ἔλαβεν () ἐξ () αὐτοῦ. ()
[19] Καὶ () ἀναστᾶσα () ἀπῆλθεν () καὶ () περιείλατο () τὸ () θέριστρον ἀφ’ () ἑαυτῆς () καὶ () ἐνεδύσατο () τὰ () ἱμάτια () τῆς () χηρεύσεως αὐτῆς. ()
[20] Ἀπέστειλεν () δὲ () Ιουδας () τὸν () ἔριφον () ἐξ () αἰγῶν ἐν () χειρὶ () τοῦ () ποιμένος () αὐτοῦ () τοῦ () Οδολλαμίτου κομίσασθαι () τὸν () ἀρραβῶνα () παρὰ () τῆς () γυναικός, () καὶ () οὐχ () εὗρεν () αὐτήν. ()
[21] Ἐπηρώτησεν () δὲ () τοὺς () ἄνδρας () τοὺς () ἐκ () τοῦ () τόπου () Ποῦ () ἐστιν () ἡ () πόρνη () ἡ () γενομένη () ἐν () Αιναν ἐπὶ () τῆς () ὁδοῦ; () Καὶ () εἶπαν Οὐκ () ἦν () ἐνταῦθα πόρνη. ()
[22] Καὶ () ἀπεστράφη () πρὸς () Ιουδαν () καὶ () εἶπεν Οὐχ () εὗρον, () καὶ () οἱ () ἄνθρωποι () οἱ () ἐκ () τοῦ () τόπου () λέγουσιν () μὴ () εἶναι () ὧδε () πόρνην. ()
[23] Εἶπεν δὲ () Ιουδας () Ἐχέτω () αὐτά, () ἀλλὰ () μήποτε () καταγελασθῶμεν· () ἐγὼ () μὲν () ἀπέσταλκα () τὸν () ἔριφον () τοῦτον, () σὺ () δὲ () οὐχ () εὕρηκας. ()
[24] Ἐγένετο () δὲ () μετὰ () τρίμηνον () ἀπηγγέλη () τῷ () Ιουδα λέγοντες () Ἐκπεπόρνευκεν () Θαμαρ () ἡ () νύμφη () σου () καὶ () ἰδοὺ () ἐν () γαστρὶ () ἔχει () ἐκ () πορνείας. () Εἶπεν δὲ () Ιουδας () Ἐξαγάγετε () αὐτήν, () καὶ () κατακαυθήτω. ()
[25] Αὐτὴ () δὲ () ἀγομένη () ἀπέστειλεν () πρὸς () τὸν () πενθερὸν () αὐτῆς () λέγουσα () Ἐκ () τοῦ () ἀνθρώπου, () τίνος () ταῦτά () ἐστιν, () ἐγὼ () ἐν () γαστρὶ () ἔχω. () Καὶ () εἶπεν Ἐπίγνωθι, () τίνος () ὁ () δακτύλιος καὶ () ὁ () ὁρμίσκος καὶ () ἡ () ῥάβδος () αὕτη. ()
[26] Ἐπέγνω () δὲ () Ιουδας () καὶ () εἶπεν Δεδικαίωται () Θαμαρ () ἢ () ἐγώ, () οὗ () εἵνεκεν () οὐκ () ἔδωκα () αὐτὴν () Σηλωμ τῷ () υἱῷ () μου. () Καὶ () οὐ () προσέθετο () ἔτι () τοῦ () γνῶναι () αὐτήν. ()
[27] Ἐγένετο () δὲ () ἡνίκα () ἔτικτεν, () καὶ () τῇδε () ἦν () δίδυμα ἐν () τῇ () γαστρὶ () αὐτῆς. ()
[28] Ἐγένετο () δὲ () ἐν () τῷ () τίκτειν () αὐτὴν () ὁ () εἷς () προεξήνεγκεν τὴν () χεῖρα· () λαβοῦσα () δὲ () ἡ () μαῖα ἔδησεν () ἐπὶ () τὴν () χεῖρα () αὐτοῦ () κόκκινον () λέγουσα () Οὗτος () ἐξελεύσεται () πρότερος.
[29] Ὡς () δὲ () ἐπισυνήγαγεν () τὴν () χεῖρα, () καὶ () εὐθὺς () ἐξῆλθεν () ὁ () ἀδελφὸς () αὐτοῦ. () Ἡ () δὲ () εἶπεν Τί () διεκόπη διὰ () σὲ () φραγμός; () Καὶ () ἐκάλεσεν () τὸ () ὄνομα () αὐτοῦ () Φαρες. ()
[30] Καὶ () μετὰ () τοῦτο () ἐξῆλθεν () ὁ () ἀδελφὸς () αὐτοῦ, () ἐφ’ () ᾧ () ἦν () ἐπὶ () τῇ () χειρὶ () αὐτοῦ () τὸ () κόκκινον· () καὶ () ἐκάλεσεν () τὸ () ὄνομα () αὐτοῦ () Ζαρα. ()

Old Testament scripture quotations and versification from Septuaginta, edited by Alfred Rahlfs (Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1935). New Testament quotations are from the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, Inc., Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Both are in the public domain.