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.

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.