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Genesis 38:12-23
New International Reader's Version
Genesis 38:12-23
New International Reader's Version
12 After a long time Judah’s wife died. She was the daughter of Shua. When Judah got over his sadness, he went up to Timnah. His friend Hirah from Adullam went with him. Men were clipping the wool from Judah’s sheep at Timnah.
13 Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to clip the wool from his sheep.” 14 So she took off her widow’s clothes. She covered her face with a veil so people wouldn’t know who she was. Then she sat down at the entrance to Enaim. Enaim is on the road to Timnah. Tamar knew that Shelah had grown up. But she hadn’t been given to him as his wife.
15 Judah saw her. He thought she was a prostitute because she had covered her face with a veil. 16 He didn’t realize that she was his daughter-in-law. He went over to her by the side of the road. He said, “Come. Let me sleep with you.”
“What will you give me to sleep with you?” she asked.
17 “I’ll send you a young goat from my flock,” he said.
“Will you give me something that belongs to you?” she asked. “I’ll keep it until you send the goat.”
18 He said, “What should I give you?”
“Give me your official seal and the string that it hangs from,” she answered. “And give me your walking stick.” So he gave them to her. Then he slept with her. And she became pregnant by him. 19 After she left, she took off her veil. She put on her widow’s clothes again.
20 Judah sent his friend Hirah with the young goat he had promised. He wanted to get back what he had given to the woman. But his friend Hirah couldn’t find her. 21 He asked the men who lived at Enaim, “Where’s the temple prostitute? She used to sit beside the road here.”
“There hasn’t been any temple prostitute here,” they said.
22 So Hirah went back to Judah. He said, “I couldn’t find her. Besides, the men who lived there didn’t know anything about her. They said, ‘There hasn’t been any temple prostitute here.’ ”
23 Then Judah said, “Let her keep what she has. I don’t want people making fun of us. After all, I did send her this young goat. We can’t help it if you couldn’t find her.”
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Genesis 38:12-23
New International Version
Genesis 38:12-23
New International Version
12 After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua,(A) died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah,(B) to the men who were shearing his sheep,(C) and his friend Hirah the Adullamite(D) went with him.
13 When Tamar(E) was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,”(F) 14 she took off her widow’s clothes,(G) covered herself with a veil(H) to disguise herself, and then sat down(I) at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah.(J) For she saw that, though Shelah(K) had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.
15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute,(L) for she had covered her face. 16 Not realizing(M) that she was his daughter-in-law,(N) he went over to her by the roadside and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.”(O)
“And what will you give me to sleep with you?”(P) she asked.
17 “I’ll send you a young goat(Q) from my flock,” he said.
“Will you give me something as a pledge(R) until you send it?” she asked.
18 He said, “What pledge should I give you?”
“Your seal(S) and its cord, and the staff(T) in your hand,” she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him.(U) 19 After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow’s clothes(V) again.
20 Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite(W) in order to get his pledge(X) back from the woman, but he did not find her. 21 He asked the men who lived there, “Where is the shrine prostitute(Y) who was beside the road at Enaim?”
“There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here,” they said.
22 So he went back to Judah and said, “I didn’t find her. Besides, the men who lived there said, ‘There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here.’”
23 Then Judah said, “Let her keep what she has,(Z) or we will become a laughingstock.(AA) After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn’t find her.”
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