Genesis 38 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Around this time, Judah left his brothers and set up his tents at Adullam, near to a local man named Hirah.
1 Y ACONTECIÓ en aquel tiempo, que Judá descendió de con sus hermanos, y fuése á un varón Adullamita, que se llamaba Hira.
1 At that time, Judah went down from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
2 There Judah happened to see the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua and married her. He slept with her,
2 Y vió allí Judá la hija de un hombre Cananeo, el cual se llamaba Súa; y tomóla, y entró á ella:
2 There, Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite man named Shua. He took her, and went in to her.
3 and she became pregnant and had a son he named Er.
3 La cual concibió, y parió un hijo; y llamó su nombre Er.
3 She conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er.
4 She became pregnant again and had a son she named Onan.
4 Y concibió otra vez, y parió un hijo, y llamó su nombre Onán.
4 She conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan.
5 Then she had another son she named Shelah who was born in Kezib.
5 Y volvió á concebir, y parió un hijo, y llamó su nombre Sela. Y estaba en Chezib cuando lo parió.
5 She yet again bore a son, and named him Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.
6 Much later, Judah arranged for Er, his firstborn son, to marry a woman named Tamar.
6 Y Judá tomó mujer para su primogénito Er, la cual se llamaba Thamar.
6 Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
7 But Er did what was evil in the Lord's sight, so the Lord put him to death.
7 Y Er, el primogénito de Judá, fué malo á los ojos de Jehová, y quitóle Jehová la vida.
7 Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in Yahweh’s sight. So Yahweh killed him.
8 Judah told Onan, “Go and sleep with your brother's wife to fulfill the requirements of a brother-in-law to have children on behalf of your brother.”
8 Entonces Judá dijo á Onán: Entra á la mujer de tu hermano, y despósate con ella, y suscita simiente á tu hermano.
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 realized that any children he had wouldn't be his own, so whenever he slept with his brother's wife he made sure she wouldn't become pregnant by withdrawing and spilling his semen on the ground. In this way he prevented any children being born on behalf of his brother.
9 Y sabiendo Onán que la simiente no había de ser suya, sucedía que cuando entraba á la mujer de su hermano vertía en tierra, por no dar simiente á su hermano.
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 But what he did was evil in the Lord's sight, so he also put Onan to death.
10 Y desagradó en ojos de Jehová lo que hacía, y también quitó á él la vida.
10 The thing which he did was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and he killed him also.
11 Then Judah told his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Go to your father's house and live there as a widow until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “Maybe he'll die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went and stayed in her father's house.
11 Y Judá dijo á Thamar su nuera: Estáte viuda en casa de tu padre, hasta que crezca Sela mi hijo; porque dijo: Que quizá no muera él también como sus hermanos. Y fuése Thamar, y estúvose en casa de su padre.
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 A long time later Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah had finished the time of mourning, he went to visit his sheepshearers at Timnah with his friend Hirah from Adullam.
12 Y pasaron muchos días, y murió la hija de Súa, mujer de Judá; y Judá se consoló, y subía á los trasquiladores de sus ovejas á Timnath, él y su amigo Hira el Adullamita.
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, “Your father-in-law is going to Timnah to shear his sheep.”
13 Y fué dado aviso á Thamar, diciendo: He aquí tu suegro sube á Timnath á trasquilar sus ovejas.
13 Tamar was told, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”
14 So she took off her widow's clothes and covered herself with a veil, disguising herself. She sat down beside the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. She had realized that even though Shelah had now grown up, nothing had been done about her marrying him.
14 Entonces quitó ella de sobre sí los vestidos de su viudez, y cubrióse con un velo, y arrebozóse, y se puso á la puerta de las aguas que están junto al camino de Timnath; porque veía que había crecido Sela, y ella no era dada á él por mujer.
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 Judah saw her and thought she must be a prostitute because she had veiled her face.
15 Y vióla Judá, y túvola por ramera, porque había ella cubierto su rostro.
15 When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.
16 He went over to her at the side of the road and said, “I want to sleep with you.” He didn't know she was his daughter-in-law. “What will you give me if I let you sleep with me?” she asked.
16 Y apartóse del camino hacia ella, y díjole: Ea, pues, ahora entraré á ti; porque no sabía que era su nuera; y ella dijo: ¿Qué me has de dar, si entrares á mí?
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 “I'll send you a young goat from my flock,” he replied. “What guarantee will you give me to make sure you'll send it?” she asked.
17 El respondió: Yo te enviaré del ganado un cabrito de las cabras. Y ella dijo: Hasme de dar prenda hasta que lo envíes.
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 “What guarantee do I have to give you?” he asked. “Your signet seal and its cord, and your walking stick that you're holding,” she replied. He handed them over to her. He slept with her and she became pregnant.
18 Entonces él dijo: ¿Qué prenda te daré? Ella respondió: Tu anillo, y tu manto, y tu bordón que tienes en tu mano. Y él se los dió, y entró á ella, la cual concibió de él.
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 left, went home, took off her veil, and put on her widow's clothes.
19 Y levantóse, y fuése: y quitóse el velo de sobre sí, y vistióse las ropas de su viudez.
19 She arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
20 Judah sent his friend Hirah from Adullam with a young goat to get back his belongings he'd left as a guarantee from the woman, but he couldn't find her.
20 Y Judá envió el cabrito de las cabras por mano de su amigo el Adullamita, para que tomase la prenda de mano de la mujer; mas no la halló.
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 Hirah asked the men there, “Where's the cult prostitute that sits by the entrance road to Enaim?” “There's no cult prostitute here,” they answered.
21 Y preguntó á los hombres de aquel lugar, diciendo: ¿Dónde está la ramera de las aguas junto al camino? Y ellos le dijeron: No ha estado aquí ramera.
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 Hirah went back to Judah and told him, “I couldn't find her, and the men there said, ‘There's no cult prostitute here.’”
22 Entonces él se volvió á Judá, y dijo: No la he hallado; y también los hombres del lugar dijeron: Aquí no ha estado ramera.
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 “Let her keep what I gave her,” Judah replied. “We'll look ridiculous to people if we go on searching. In any case I did try to send her the young goat as promised but you couldn't find her.”
23 Y Judá dijo: Tómeselo para sí, porque no seamos menospreciados: he aquí yo he enviado este cabrito, y tú no la hallaste.
23 Judah said, “Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this young goat, and you haven’t found her.”
24 Then about three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has had sex like a prostitute and now as a result she's pregnant!” “Bring her out and burn her to death!” Judah ordered.
24 Y acaeció que al cabo de unos tres meses fué dado aviso á Judá, diciendo: Thamar tu nuera ha fornicado, y aun cierto está preñada de las fornicaciones. Y Judá dijo: Sacadla, y sea quemada.
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 As she was brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law, saying, “I'm pregnant by the man who owns these things.” Then she added, “Please look carefully at this signet seal and its cord and walking stick. Who do they belong to?”
25 Y ella, cuando la sacaban, envió á decir á su suegro: Del varón cuyas son estas cosas, estoy preñada: y dijo más: Mira ahora cúyas son estas cosas, el anillo, y el manto, y el bordón.
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 recognized them right away and said, “She has honored the law more than I have, because I didn't give her in marriage to my son Shelah.” He didn't sleep with Tamar again.
26 Entonces Judá los reconoció, y dijo: Más justa es que yo, por cuanto no la he dado á Sela mi hijo. Y nunca más la conoció.
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 When the time came for Tamar to give birth, she was found to be carrying twins.
27 Y aconteció que al tiempo del parir, he aquí había dos en su vientre.
27 In the time of her travail, behold, twins were in her womb.
28 One baby put out his hand, and the midwife tied a scarlet thread around his wrist and said, “This one came out first.”
28 Y sucedió, cuando paría, que sacó la mano el uno, y la partera tomó y ató á su mano un hilo de grana, diciendo: Este salió primero.
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 But then he pulled back his hand and his brother was born, she said, “How did you burst out?” So he was named Perez.
29 Empero fué que tornando él á meter la mano, he aquí su hermano salió; y ella dijo: ¿Por qué has hecho sobre ti rotura? Y llamó su nombre Phares.
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 Then his brother with the scarlet thread on his wrist was born. He was named Zerah.
30 Y después salió su hermano, el que tenía en su mano el hilo de grana, y llamó su nombre Zara.
30 Afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Er
Judah's firstborn, who was wicked in the LORD's sight and died young; first husband of Tamar.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 38:3-7
Hirah
Judah's friend, an Adullamite near whom Judah settled, who went with Judah to the sheepshearing at Timnah and later took the young goat to Enaim but could not find the woman.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 38:1; Genesis 38:12; Genesis 38:20
Judah
The lion of the tribes, from whom kings and the Messiah would come.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 29:35; 38; 49:8–12
Onan
Judah's second son, who died for refusing to raise up offspring for his late brother.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 38:4-10
Perez
Born of Judah and Tamar, he became the head of the leading clan of Judah.
Cited in the guide: Gen. 38; Ruth 4:18; 1 Chron. 2:4-5; Matt. 1:3
Shelah
Judah's third son, withheld from Tamar until she took matters into her own hands.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 38:5, 11; Numbers 26:20
Shua
A Canaanite man whose daughter Judah married; she bore Er, Onan and Shelah.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 38:2; Genesis 38:12
Tamar
Judah's daughter-in-law who, denied justice, became the mother of Perez.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 38; Matthew 1:3
Zerah
The twin brother of Perez, born to Judah and Tamar, whose hand first reached out at birth.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 38:29-30; 1 Chronicles 2:4
Cross references (25)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Kings 4:8; 1 Samuel 22:1; Proverbs 13:20; Micah 1:15; Genesis 19:2–3
- 2 1 Chronicles 2:3; Genesis 24:3; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Judges 16:1; Genesis 3:6
- 3 Numbers 26:19; Genesis 46:12
- 4 Genesis 46:12; Numbers 26:19
- 5 Numbers 26:20; Genesis 46:12; Genesis 38:26; Genesis 38:11; 1 Chronicles 4:21
- 6 Genesis 21:21; Genesis 24:3; Matthew 1:3
- 7 1 Chronicles 2:3; Genesis 46:12; Numbers 26:19; Genesis 13:13; Genesis 19:13
- 8 Deuteronomy 25:5–10; Matthew 22:23–27; Ruth 4:5–11; Ruth 1:11; Leviticus 18:16
- 9 James 4:5; Deuteronomy 25:6; James 3:16; Titus 3:3; Job 5:2
- 10 Numbers 11:1; Genesis 46:12; Proverbs 14:32; 1 Chronicles 21:7; Numbers 26:19
- 11 Leviticus 22:13; Ruth 1:11–13
- 12 Joshua 15:10; 2 Samuel 13:39; Judges 14:1; Genesis 24:67; Genesis 31:19
- 14 Genesis 38:26; Genesis 38:11–13; Proverbs 7:12; Jeremiah 3:2; Genesis 24:65
- 16 1 Timothy 6:10; Matthew 26:15; 2 Samuel 13:11; Ezekiel 16:33; Deuteronomy 23:18
- 17 Genesis 38:20; Ezekiel 16:33; Luke 16:8; Proverbs 20:16; Genesis 38:24–25
- 18 Genesis 38:25–26; Luke 15:22; Jeremiah 22:24; Hosea 4:11
- 19 Genesis 38:14; 2 Samuel 14:2; 2 Samuel 14:5
- 20 Genesis 20:9; 2 Samuel 13:3; Luke 23:12; Leviticus 19:17; Judges 14:20
- 23 Ephesians 5:12; 2 Samuel 12:9; Proverbs 6:33; Romans 6:21; 2 Corinthians 4:2
- 24 Leviticus 21:9; Judges 19:2; Ezekiel 23:44; Hosea 2:5; Ezekiel 23:19
- 25 Genesis 37:32; Genesis 38:18; Psalm 50:21; Jeremiah 2:26; Revelation 20:12
- 26 1 Samuel 24:17; 1 Peter 4:2–3; John 8:9; Titus 2:11–12; 2 Samuel 24:17
- 27 Genesis 25:24
- 29 Genesis 46:12; Matthew 1:3; 1 Chronicles 2:4; Numbers 26:20; Nehemiah 11:6
- 30 1 Chronicles 9:6; 1 Chronicles 2:4; Matthew 1:3
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
This fact is indeed set forth by many other [occurrences], but typically by [the history of] Thamar, Judah's daughter-in-law. For when she had conceived twins, one of them put forth his hand first; and as the midwife supposed that he was the first-born, she bound a scarlet token on his hand.