Study Desk

Now ^[i]after a considerable time Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and when ^[j]the time of mourning was ended, Judah went up to his sheepshearers at ^(k)Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

It was told to Tamar, "^[k]Behold, your father-in-law is going up to ^(l)Timnah to shear his sheep."

So she ^[l]removed her widow's garments and ^(m)covered herself with a ^[m]veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gateway of ^[n]Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and ⁽ⁿ⁾she had not been given to him as a wife.

When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face.

So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, "^[o]Here now, let me come in to you"; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?"

He said, therefore, "I will send you a ^[p]young goat from the flock." She said, moreover, "Will you give a pledge until you send it?"

He said, "What pledge shall I give you?" And she said, "^(o)Your seal and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand." So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.

Then she arose and departed, and ^[q]removed her ^[r]veil and put on her widow's garments.

When Judah sent the ^[s]young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman's hand, he did not find her.

He asked the men of her place, saying, "Where is the temple prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?" But they said, "There has been no temple prostitute here."

So he returned to Judah, and said, "I did not find her; and furthermore, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no temple prostitute here.'"

Then Judah said, "Let her ^[t]keep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock. ^[u]After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her."