Génesis 38

1En aquel tiempo se separó Judá de sus hermanos, y bajando llegó a un adullamita que se llamaba Hirá.

2Allí vio Judá a la hija de un cananeo, llamado Súa; la tomó (por mujer) y se llegó a ella;

3la cual concibió y dio a luz un hijo, a quien llamó Er.

4Concibió otra vez, y dio a luz un hijo, al que puso por nombre Onán.

5Volvió a dar a luz un hijo, a quien llamó Selá. Estaba en Quesib cuando dio a luz.

6Ahora bien, tomó Judá para Er, su primogénito, una mujer que se llamaba Tamar.

7Pero Er, el primogénito de Judá, era malo a los ojos de Yahvé, y Yahvé le quitó la vida.

8Entonces dijo Judá a Onán: “Llégate a la mujer de tu hermano, y cumple con ella tu deber de cuñado, suscitando descendencia a tu hermano.”

9Mas Onán, sabiendo que la descendencia no había de ser suya, siempre que se llegaba a la mujer de su hermano, derramaba en tierra, para no dar prole a su hermano.

10Lo que hacía, era malo a los ojos de Yahvé, por lo cual lo mató a él también.

11Dijo entonces Judá a Tamar, su nuera: “Quédate como viuda en casa de tu padre, hasta que sea mayor mi hijo Selá”, porque se decía: “No sea que muera también él, como sus hermanos.” Se fue, pues, Tamar, y habitó en casa de su padre.

12Pasados ya muchos días, murió la hija de Súa, mujer de Judá; y concluido el duelo, subió Judá con su amigo Hirá adullamita a Timná donde estaban los esquiladores de sus ovejas.

13Lo supo Tamar, pues le decían: “Mira, tu suegro sube a Timná, al esquileo de sus ovejas.”

14Entonces ella se quitó los vestidos de su viudez y se cubrió de un velo; y así envuelta se sentó a la entrada de Enaim, en el camino de Timná, porque veía que Selá era ya grande, y ella no le había sido dada por mujer.

15Como la viese Judá, la tuvo por ramera, por tener ella cubierto el rostro;

16y dirigiéndose hacia ella, en el borde del camino dijo: “Déjame, por favor llegarme a ti”, pues no sabía que era su nuera. Ella preguntó: “¿Qué me darás por llegarte a mi?”,

17Respondió: “Enviaré un cabrito del rebaño”, a lo cual ella dijo: “Sí, con tal que me des una prenda, hasta que lo mandes.”

18“¿Qué prenda te he de dar?”, preguntó él, y ella contestó: “Tu sello, tu cordón y el bastón que llevas en la mano.” Se lo dio, y llegose a ella, la cual concibió de él.

19Después se levantó y se fue, se quitó el velo y se vistió los vestidos de su viudez.

20Envió Judá el cabrito por mano de su amigo, el adullamita, para retirar de la mujer los objetos dados en prenda, pero no la halló.

21Por lo cual preguntó a los hombres de aquel lugar, diciendo “¿Dónde está la prostituta de Enaim, la de junto al camino?” Respondieron: “Aquí no ha habido prostituta alguna.”

22Se volvió, pues, a Judá y dijo: “No la he encontrado; y además los hombres de aquel lugar dicen: ‘No ha habido aquí prostituta alguna.’”

23Dijo entonces Judá: “Tómeselo para sí, para que nadie pueda burlarse de nosotros. He aquí, yo he enviado este cabrito, mas tú no la has encontrado.”

24Pasados unos tres meses fue dada a Judá esta noticia: “Tu nuera Tamar se ha prostituido, y también está encinta a consecuencia de sus fornicaciones.” Y mandó Judá: “¡Sacadla, y sea quemada!”

25Fue, pues, sacada, mas envió a decir a su suegro: “Del varón a quien pertenecen estas cosas estoy yo encinta.” Y añadió: “Averigua tú, te ruego, de quien son este sello, este cordón y este bastón.”

26Los reconoció Judá, y dijo: “Más justa es ella que yo, por cuanto no se la he dado a Selá, mi hijo.” Y no volvió más a conocerla.

27Venido el tiempo de su parto, sucedió que había mellizos en su seno.

28Y al dar a luz, uno sacó la mano; la tomó la partera y ató a ella un hijo de escarlata, diciendo: “Este salió primero.”

29Pero retiró él su mano y salió su hermano. Y ella dijo: “¡Cómo te abriste brecha!” Y fue llamado Fares.

30Luego salió su hermano, el que tenía en la mano el hijo de escarlata, y fue llamado Zara.

1Eodem tempore, descendens Judas a fratribus suis, divertit ad virum Odollamitem, nomine Hiram.

2Viditque ibi filiam hominis Chananæi, vocabulo Sue: et accepta uxore, ingressus est ad eam.

3Quæ concepit, et peperit filium, et vocavit nomen ejus Her.

4Rursumque concepto fœtu, natum filium vocavit Onan.

5Tertium quoque peperit: quem appellavit Sela; quo nato, parere ultra cessavit.

6Dedit autem Judas uxorem primogenito suo Her, nomine Thamar.

7Fuit quoque Her primogenitus Judæ nequam in conspectu Domini: et ab eo occisus est.

8Dixit ergo Judas ad Onan filium suum: Ingredere uxorem fratris tui, et sociare illi, ut suscites semen fratri tuo.

9Ille sciens non sibi nasci filios, introiens ad uxorem fratris sui, semen fundebat in terram, ne liberi fratris nomine nascerentur.

10Et idcirco percussit eum Dominus, quod rem detestabilem faceret.

11Quam ob rem dixit Judas Thamar nurui suæ: Esto vidua in domo patris tui, donec crescat Sela filius meus: timebat enim ne et ipse moreretur, sicut fratres ejus. Quæ abiit, et habitavit in domo patris sui.

12Evolutis autem multis diebus, mortua est filia Sue uxor Judæ: qui, post luctum consolatione suscepta, ascendebat ad tonsores ovium suarum, ipse et Hiras opilio gregis Odollamites, in Thamnas.

13Nuntiatumque est Thamar quod socer illius ascenderet in Thamnas ad tondendas oves.

14Quæ, depositis viduitatis vestibus, assumpsit theristrum: et mutato habitu, sedit in bivio itineris, quod ducit Thamnam: eo quod crevisset Sela, et non eum accepisset maritum.

15Quam cum vidisset Judas, suspicatus est esse meretricem: operuerat enim vultum suum, ne agnosceretur.

16Ingrediensque ad eam, ait: Dimitte me ut coëam tecum: nesciebat enim quod nurus sua esset. Qua respondente: Quid dabis mihi ut fruaris concubitu meo?

17dixit: Mittam tibi hædum de gregibus. Rursumque illa dicente: Patiar quod vis, si dederis mihi arrhabonem, donec mittas quod polliceris.

18Ait Judas: Quid tibi vis pro arrhabone dari? Respondit: Annulum tuum, et armillam, et baculum quem manu tenes. Ad unum igitur coitum mulier concepit,

19et surgens abiit: depositoque habitu quem sumpserat, induta est viduitatis vestibus.

20Misit autem Judas hædum per pastorem suum Odollamitem, ut reciperet pignus quod dederat mulieri: qui cum non invenisset eam,

21interrogavit homines loci illius: Ubi est mulier quæ sedebat in bivio? Respondentibus cunctis: Non fuit in loco ista meretrix.

22Reversus est ad Judam, et dixit ei: Non inveni eam: sed et homines loci illius dixerunt mihi, numquam sedisse ibi scortum.

23Ait Judas: Habeat sibi, certe mendacii arguere nos non potest, ego misi hædum quem promiseram: et tu non invenisti eam.

24Ecce autem post tres menses nuntiaverunt Judæ, dicentes: Fornicata est Thamar nurus tua, et videtur uterus illius intumescere. Dixitque Judas: Producite eam ut comburatur.

25Quæ cum duceretur ad pœnam, misit ad socerum suum, dicens: De viro, cujus hæc sunt, concepi: cognosce cujus sit annulus, et armilla, et baculus.

26Qui, agnitis muneribus, ait: Justior me est: quia non tradidi eam Sela filio meo. Attamen ultra non cognovit eam.

27Instante autem partu, apparuerunt gemini in utero: atque in ipsa effusione infantium unus protulit manum, in qua obstetrix ligavit coccinum, dicens:

28Iste egredietur prior.

29Illo vero retrahente manum, egressus est alter: dixitque mulier: Quare divisa est propter te maceria? et ob hanc causam, vocavit nomen ejus Phares.

30Postea egressus est frater ejus, in cujus manu erat coccinum: quem appellavit Zara.

1At that time Juda went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Odollamite, named Hiras.

2And he saw there the daughter of a man of Chanaan, called Sue: and taking her to wife, he went in unto her.

3And she conceived, and bore a son, and called his name Her.

4And conceiving again, she bore a son, and called him Onan.

5She bore also a third: whom she called Sela. After whose birth, she ceased to bear any more.

6And Juda took a wife for Her his firstborn, whose name was Thamar.

7And Her, the firstborn of Juda, was wicked in the sight of the Lord: and was slain by him.

8Juda, therefore said to Onan his son: Go in to thy brother’s wife and marry her, that thou mayst raise seed to thy brother.

9He knowing that the children should not be his, when he went in to his brother’s wife, spilled his seed upon the ground, lest children should be born in his brother’s name.

10And therefore the Lord slew him, because he did a detestable thing.

11Wherefore Juda said to Thamar his daughter in law: Remain a widow in thy father’s house, till Sela my son grow up: for he was afraid lest he also might die, as his brethren did. She went her way and dwelt in her father’s house.

12And after many days were past, the daughter of Sue the wife of Juda died: and when he had taken comfort after his mourning, he went up to Thamnas, to the shearers of his sheep, he and Hiras the Odollamite the shepherd of his flock.

13And it was told Thamar that her father in law was come up to Thamnas to shear his sheep.

14And she put off the garments of her widowhood, and took a veil: and changing her dress, sat in the cross way, that leadeth to Thamnas: because Sela was grown up, and she had not been married to him.

15When Juda saw her, he thought she was a harlot: for she had covered her face, lest she should be known.

16And going to her, he said: Suffer me to lie with thee: for he knew her not to be his daughter in law. And she answered: What wilt thou give me to enjoy my company?

17He said: I will send thee a kid out of the flock. And when she said again: I will suffer what thou wilt, if thou give a pledge, till thou send what thou promisest,

18Juda said: What wilt thou have for a pledge? She answered: Thy ring and bracelet, and the staff which thou holdest in thy hand. The woman therefore at one copulation conceived.

19And she arose and went her way: and putting off the apparel which she had taken, put on the garments of her widowhood.

20And Juda sent a kid by his shepherd, the Odollamite, that he might receive the pledge again, which he had given to the woman: but he, not finding her,

21Asked the men of that place: Where is the woman that sat in the cross way? And when they all made answer: There was no harlot in this place,

22He returned to Juda, and said to him: I have not found her; moreover the men of that place said to me, that there never sat a harlot there.

23Juda said: Let her take it to herself; surely she cannot charge us with a, lie: I sent the kid which I promised: and thou didst not find her.

24And behold after three months they told Juda, saying: Thamar, thy daughter in law hath played the harlot, and she appeareth to have a big belly. And Juda said: Bring her out that she may be burnt.

25But when she was led to execution, she sent to her father in law, saying: By the man, to whom these things belong, I am with child. See whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.

26But he acknowledging the gifts, said: She is juster than I: because I did not give her to Sela, my son. However, he knew her no more.

27And when she was ready to be brought to bed, there appeared twins in her womb: and in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, whereon the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying:

28This shall come forth the first.

29But he drawing back his hand, the other came forth: and the woman said: Why is the partition divided for thee? and therefore called his name Phares.

30Afterwards his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread: and she called him Zara.