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 Shua; 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 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 first-born, and her name was Tamar. 7 And Er, Judah’s first-born, was wicked in the sight of Jehovah; and Jehovah slew him. 8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother unto her, and raise up seed to thy brother. 9 And Onan knew that the seed would 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 he should give seed to his brother. 10 And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and he slew him also. 11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow in thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown up; for he said, Lest he also die, like his brethren. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.

12 And in process of time Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheep-shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold, thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnah to shear his sheep. 14 And she put off from her the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she was not given unto him to wife. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot; for she had covered her face. 16 And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Come, 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 of the goats 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 cord, and thy staff that is in thy hand. And he gave them to her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. 19 And she arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. 20 And Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand: but he found her not. 21 Then he asked the men of her place, saying, Where is the prostitute, that was at Enaim by the wayside? And they said, There hath been no prostitute here. 22 And he returned to Judah, and said, I have not found her; and also the men of the place said, There hath been no prostitute here. 23 And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be put to shame: 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 moreover, 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 the cords, and the staff. 26 And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She is more righteous than I, forasmuch as 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 one put out a 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, Wherefore hast thou made a breach for thyself? Therefore his name was called Perez. 30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zerah.

1 Sel ajal Juuda läks ära oma vendade juurest ja siirdus ühe Adullami mehe juurde, kelle nimi oli Hiira.

2 Ja Juuda nägi seal kaananlase, Suua nimelise mehe tütart, võttis selle ning heitis ta juurde.

3 Ja see sai käima peale ning tõi poja ilmale; ja ta pani sellele nimeks Eer.

4 Ja tema sai taas käima peale ning tõi poja ilmale; ja ta pani sellele nimeks Oonan.

5 Ja tema tõi veelgi ühe poja ilmale ja pani sellele nimeks Seela; ta oli Kesibis, kui ta selle ilmale tõi.

6 Ja Juuda võttis Eerile, oma esmasündinule, naise nimega Taamar.

7 Aga Eer, Juuda esmasündinu, oli Issand silmis paha ja Issand laskis tema surra.

8 Siis Juuda ütles Oonanile: „Heida oma venna naise juurde, ole temale mehe eest ja soeta oma vennale sugu!"

9 Kuna aga Oonan teadis, et sugu ei pidanud saama temale, siis heites oma venna naise juurde ta hävitas oma seemne maha pillates, et mitte anda sugu oma vennale.

10 Aga see, mis ta tegi, oli Issand silmis paha ja Ta laskis surra ka tema.

11 Siis Juuda ütles oma miniale Taamarile: „Jää lesena oma isakotta elama, kuni mu poeg Seela on kasvanud suuremaks!" Sest ta mõtles: „Muidu sureb seegi nagu ta vennad!" Ja Taamar läks ning elas oma isakojas.

12 Mõne aja pärast suri Suua tütar, Juuda naine. Kui Juuda leinaaeg oli möödunud, siis ta läks üles Timnasse oma pudulojuste niitjate juurde, tema ja ta sõber Hiira, Adullami mees.

13 Ja Taamarile anti teada ning öeldi: „Vaata, su äi läheb üles Timnasse pudulojuseid niitma!"

14 Siis ta võttis lesepõlve riided seljast ära, varjas ennast looriga ja kattis enese kinni ning istus Eenaimi väravasse, kust tee viib Timnasse, sest ta oli näinud, et Seela oli kasvanud suureks, teda aga ei olnud antud temale naiseks.

15 Kui Juuda teda nägi, siis ta pidas teda hooraks, sest ta oli oma näo kinni katnud.

16 Ja ta pöördus teelt tema poole ning ütles: „Lase ma heidan su juurde!" Sest ta ei teadnud, et see oli tema minia. Aga too vastas: „Mis sa mulle annad, kui sa heidad mu juurde?"

17 Ta ütles: „Ma läkitan sulle karjast ühe sikutalle!" Ja naine vastas: „Jah, kui sa annad mulle pandi, seniks kui sa läkitad!"

18 Siis ta küsis: „Mis võiks olla pandiks, mille ma pean sulle andma?" Ja tema vastas: „Su pitsat ja vöö ja kepp, mis sul käes on!" Ja ta andis need temale ning heitis ta juurde; ja naine sai temast käima peale.

19 Siis ta tõusis ja läks ära ning võttis eneselt loori ja pani lesepõlve riided selga.

20 Ja Juuda läkitas oma sõbra Adullami mehega sikutalle, et võtta pant naise käest; aga see ei leidnud teda.

21 Siis ta küsis meestelt seal paigas, öeldes: „Kus on see pordunaine, kes oli Eenaimi tee ääres?" Aga need vastasid: „Siin pole pordunaist olnud!"

22 Ja ta tuli tagasi Juuda juurde ning ütles: „Ma ei leidnud teda. Ja mehedki seal paigas ütlesid: siin pole pordunaist olnud!"

23 Siis ütles Juuda: „Pidagu siis enesele, et me ei satuks pilke alla! Vaata, ma läkitasin selle siku, aga sina ei leidnud teda!"

24 Aga kolme kuu pärast teatati Juudale ja öeldi: „Su minia Taamar on hooranud, ja vaata, ta on hooratööst saanud ka käima peale!" Siis ütles Juuda: „Tooge ta välja, et ta põletataks!"

25 Kui ta välja toodi, siis ta läkitas sõna oma äiale: „Sellest mehest, kelle omad need on, olen ma käima peal!" Ja ta ütles: „Tunnista nüüd, kelle see pitsat ja vöö ja kepp on!"

26 Ja Juuda tundis need ära ning ütles: „Tema on õigem minust! Sest ma ei ole teda andnud oma pojale Seelale!" Ja ta ei ühtinud enam temaga.

27 Aga sünnitamise ajal, vaata, olid ta ihus kaksikud!

28 Ja kui ta sünnitas, sirutus üks käsi välja; ja aitajanaine võttis ning sidus käe ümber helepunase lõnga, öeldes: „See tuleb esmalt välja!"

29 Aga kui ta oma käe tagasi tõmbas, vaata, siis tuli välja ta vend! Ja aitajanaine ütles: „Missuguse lõhe sa küll enesele oled rebestanud!" Ja temale pandi nimeks Perets.

30 Ja pärast tuli välja tema vend, kelle käe ümber oli helepunane lõng; ja temale pandi nimeks Serah.