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Genesis 38: Judah and Tamar

This is a difficult chapter about Judah's family. Judah married a Canaanite woman and had three sons. His older sons were wicked and died, and Judah failed to keep his promise to give his youngest son to Tamar, their widow. Tamar disguised herself and made Judah face his wrong. When the truth came out, Judah confessed, She is more righteous than I. Tamar gave birth to twins, Perez and Zerah. Perez became an ancestor of King David.

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Bible:

Read Genesis 38

World English Bible · 30 verses

  1. 1 At that time, Judah went down from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  2. 2 There, Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite man named Shua. He took her, and went in to her.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  3. 3 She conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  4. 4 She conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  5. 5 She yet again bore a son, and named him Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  6. 6 Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  7. 7 Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in Yahweh’s sight. So Yahweh killed him.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  8. 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.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  9. 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.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  10. 10 The thing which he did was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and he killed him also.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  11. 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.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  12. 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.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  13. 13 Tamar was told, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  14. 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.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  15. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  16. 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?”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  17. 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?”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  18. 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.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  19. 19 She arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  20. 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.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  21. 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.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  22. 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.’”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  23. 23 Judah said, “Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this young goat, and you haven’t found her.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  24. 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.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  25. 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.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  26. 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.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  27. 27 In the time of her travail, behold, twins were in her womb.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  28. 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.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  29. 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.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  30. 30 Afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

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Genesis 38 · Preschool

Twin Babies

Name Date

Color the twin babies, Perez and Zerah. God can bring good out of hard things!

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“In the time of her travail, behold, twins were in her womb.”

Genesis 38:27 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

This chapter contains adult themes that are not suitable to retell to young children. Read the verse and say: God gave Tamar twin babies. In the New Testament, Perez is named in Jesus' family line.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

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