Judah and Tamar
(1 Chronicles 2:3–4)

1And it fortuned at that tyme that Iudas went from his brethren and gatt him to a man called Hira of Odollam 2and there he sawe the doughter of a man called Sua a Canaanyte. And he toke her ad went in vnto her. 3And she conceaued and bare a sonne and called his name Er. 4And she conceaued agayne and bare a sonne and called him Onan. 5And she conceaued the thyrde tyme and bare a sonne whom she called Scla: and he was at Chesyb when she bare hem.

6And Iudas gaue Er his eldest sonne a wife whose name was Thamar. 7But this Er Iudas eldest sonne was wicked in the syghte of the LORde wherfore the LORde slewe him. 8Than sayde Iudas vnto Onan: goo in to thi brothers wyfe and Marie her and styrre vp seed vnto thy brother. 9And when Onan perceaued that the seed shulde not be his: therfore when he went in to his brothers wife he spylled it on the grounde because he wold not geue seed vnto his brother. 10And the thinge which he dyd displeased the LORde wherfore he slew him also. 11Than sayde Iudas to Thamar his doughter in lawe: remayne a wydow at thi fathers house tyll Sela my sonne be growne: for he feared lest he shulde haue dyed also as his brethren did. Thus went Thamar and dwelt in hir fathers house.

12And in processe of tyme the doughter of Sua Iudas wife dyed. Than Iudas when he had left mornynge went vnto his shepe sherers to Thimnath with his frende Hira of Odollam. 13And one told Thamar saynge: beholde thy father in lawe goth vp to Thimnath to shere his shepe. 14And she put hyr wydows garmetes of from her and couered her with a clooke and disgyssed herself: And sat her downe at the entrynge of Enaim which is by the hye wayes syde to Thimnath for because she sawe that Sela was growne and she was not geue vnto him to wife. 15When Iuda sawe her he thought it had bene an hoore because she had couered hyr face. 16And turned to her vnto the waye and sayde come I praye the let me lye with the for he knewe not that it was his doughter in lawe. And she sayde what wylt thou gyue me for to lye with me? 17Tha sayde he I will sende the a kydd fro the flocke. She answered Than geue me a pledge till thou sende it. 18Than sayde he what pledge sha ll I geue the? And she sayde: they sygnett thy necke lace and thy staffe that is in thy hande. And he gaue it her and lay by her and she was with child by him. 19And she gatt her vp and went and put her mantell from her ad put on hir widowes rayment agayne.

20And Iudas sent the kydd by his neybure of Odollam for to fetch out his pledge agayne from the wifes hande. But he fownde her not. 21Than asked he the men of the same place saynge: where is the whoore that satt at Enaim in the waye? And they sayde: there was no whoore here. 22And he came to Iuda agayne saynge: I can not fynde her and also the men of the place sayde: that there was no whoore there. 23And Iuda sayde: let her take it to her lest we be shamed: for I sente the kydd and thou coudest not fynde her.

24And it came to passe that after .iij. monethes one tolde Iuda saynge: Thamar thy doughter in lawe hath played the whoore and with playnge the whoore is become great with childe. And Iuda sayde: brynge her forth ad let her be brente. 25And when they brought her forth she sent to her father in lawe saynge: by the ma vnto whome these thinges pertayne am I with childe. And sayd also: loke whose are this seall necklace and staffe. 26And Iuda knewe them saynge: she is more rightwes tha I because I gaue her not to Sela my sone. But he laye with her nomore.

The Birth of Perez and Zerah

27When tyme was come that she shulde be delyuered beholde there was .ij. twynnes in hyr wobe. 28And as she traveled the one put out his hande and the mydwife toke and bownde a reed threde aboute it saynge: this wyll come out fyrst. 29But he plucked his hande backe agayne and his brother came out. And she sayde: wherfore hast thou rent a rent vppon the? and called him Pharez. 30And afterward came out his brother that had the reade threde about his hade which was called Zarah.