1And 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. 2And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her. 3And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er. 4And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan. 5And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him. 6And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. 7And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. 8And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. 9And 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. 10And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.38.10 displeased…: Heb. was evil in the eyes of the Lord 11Then 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.38.12 in process…: Heb. the days were multiplied 13And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. 14And 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.38.14 an open…: Heb. the door of eyes, or, of Enajim 15When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face. 16And 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? 17And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?38.17 a kid: Heb. a kid of the goats 18And 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. 19And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. 20And 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. 21Then 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.38.21 openly: or, in Enajim 22And 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. 23And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.38.23 be shamed: Heb. become a contempt
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. 25When 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. 26And 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. 28And 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. 29And 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.38.29 How hast…: or, Wherefore hast thou made this breach against thee?38.29 Pharez: that is A breach 30And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.
Yuda ndi Tamara
1Pa nthawi imeneyi, Yuda anasiyana ndi abale ake napita kukakhala ndi munthu wina wa ku Adulamu wotchedwa Hira. 2Kumeneko, Yuda anaona mwana wamkazi wa munthu wina wa Chikanaani wotchedwa Suwa. Anamukwatira nagona naye malo amodzi. 3Iye anatenga pathupi, nabala mwana wamwamuna amene anamutcha Eri. 4Anatenganso pathupi nabala mwana wa mwamuna ndipo anamutcha Onani. 5Anaberekanso mwana wina wamwamuna ndipo anamutcha Sela. Ameneyu anabadwa Yuda ali ku Kezibi.
6Yuda anamupezera mkazi mwana wake woyamba uja Eri, ndipo dzina la mkaziyo linali Tamara. 7Koma ntchito zoyipa za Eri, mwana wachisamba wa Yuda zinayipira Yehova. Choncho Mulungu anamulanga ndi imfa.
8Pamenepo Yuda anati kwa Onani, “Kwatira mkazi wamasiye wa mʼbale wako. Ulowe chokolo kuti mʼbale wako akhale ndi mwana.” 9Koma Onani anadziwa kuti mwanayo sadzakhala wake. Choncho nthawi zonse pamene amagona naye mkaziyo, ankatayira umuna pansi kuti asamuberekere mwana mʼbale wake. 10Zimene ankachitazi zinayipira Yehova. Choncho anamulanganso ndi imfa.
11Kenaka Yuda anati kwa mpongozi wake Tamara, “Bwererani ku nyumba ya abambo anu ndi kukhala kumeneko ngati wamasiye mpaka mwana wanga Sela atakula.” Ananena izi chifukwa ankaopa kuti Sela angafenso ngati abale ake aja. Choncho Tamara anapita kukakhala ku nyumba ya abambo ake.
12Patapita nthawi yayitali, Batishua, mkazi wa Yuda anamwalira. Yuda atatha kulira maliro a mkazi wake, anapita, iyeyu pamodzi ndi bwenzi lake Hira, Mwadulamu uja, ku Timna kumene ankameta nkhosa zawo.
13Tamara atamva kuti apongozi ake akupita ku Timna kukameta nkhosa, 14iye anavula zovala zake za umasiye, nadziphimba nkhope ndi nsalu kuti asadziwike, ndipo anakhala pansi pa chipata cha ku Enaimu popita ku Timna. Tamara anachita izi chifukwa anaona kuti ngakhale Selayo anali atakula tsopano, iye sanaperekedwe kuti amulowe chokolo.
15Yuda atamuona anangomuyesa mkazi wadama chabe, chifukwa anadziphimba nkhope. 16Tsono anapita kwa mkaziyo pamphepete pa msewu paja nati, “Tabwera ndigone nawe.” Apa Yuda sankadziwa kuti mkazi uja anali mpongozi wake.
Ndiye mkazi uja anamufunsa Yuda nati, “Mudzandipatsa chiyani kuti ndigone nanu?”
17Iye anati, “Ndidzakutumizira kamwana kambuzi ka mʼkhola mwanga.”
Mkaziyo anayankha kuti, “Chabwino, ndavomera, koma mungandipatse chikole mpaka mutanditumizira mbuziyo?”
18Iye anati, “Ndikupatse chikole chanji?”
Mkaziyo anayankha, “Mundipatse mphete yanuyo, chingwe chanucho pamodzi ndi ndodo imene ili mʼdzanja lanulo.” Choncho anazipereka kwa iye nagona naye ndipo anatenga pathupi. 19Kenaka Tamara anachoka, navula nsalu anadziphimba nayo ija, navalanso zovala zake za umasiye zija.
20Tsono Yuda anatuma bwenzi lake Mwadulamu uja ndi kamwana kambuzi kaja kuti akapereke kwa mkazi wadama uja, ndi kuti akatero amubwezere chikole chake chija. Koma atafika sanamupezepo. 21Anawafunsa anthu a komweko, “Kodi mkazi wadama uja amene ankakhala pambali pa msewu wa ku Enaimu, ali kuti?”
Iwo anayankha, “Sipanakhalepo mkazi wa dama aliyense pano.”
22Choncho anabwerera kwa Yuda nati, “Sindinamupeze mkazi uja. Kuwonjeza apo, anthu a kumeneko amati, ‘Sipanakhalepo mkazi wadama pano.’ ”
23Pamenepo Yuda anati, “Mulekeni atenge zinthuzo zikhale zake, kuopa kuti anthu angatiseke. Ine sindinalakwe, ndinamutumizira kamwana kambuzika, koma simunamupeze.”
24Patapita miyezi itatu, Yuda anawuzidwa kuti, “Mpongozi wanu Tamara anachita zadama, ndipo zotsatira zake nʼzakuti ali ndi pathupi.”
Yuda anati, “Kamutulutseni ndipo mukamutenthe kuti afe!”
25Akumutulutsa, iye anatuma mawu kwa apongozi ake. Anati, “Ndili ndi pathupi pa munthu amene ndi mwini wake wa zinthu izi. Taziyangʼanitsitsani, kodi mwini wa khoza, chingwe ndi ndodo yoyenderayi ndi yani?”
26Yuda anazizindikira zinthuzo ndipo anati, “Uyu ndi wolungama kuposa ine, chifukwa sindinamupereke kwa mwana wanga Sela.” Ndipo Yuda sanagone nayenso.
27Pamene Tamara nthawi inamukwanira yoti abeleke, mʼmimbamo munali mapasa. 28Pamene ankabereka, mmodzi wa iwo anatulutsa dzanja lake. Choncho mzamba anatenga kawulusi kofiira nakamangirira pa mkono pa mwanayo nati, “Uyu ndiye anayamba kubadwa.” 29Koma pamene anabweza mkonowo, mʼbale wake anabadwa ndipo mzamba anati, “Wachita kudziphotcholera wekha njira chonchi!” Ndipo anamutcha Perezi. 30Pambuyo pake mʼbale wake amene anali ndi ulusi wofiira pa mkono wake uja anabadwa ndipo anapatsidwa dzina lakuti Zera.
