Genesis 37:31   (Read all of Genesis 37)

Then they got Joseph's robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.

Genesis 37:32   (Read all of Genesis 37)

They took the ornate robe back to their father and said, "We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son's robe."

Genesis 37:33   (Read all of Genesis 37)

He recognized it and said, "It is my son's robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces."

Genesis 37:34   (Read all of Genesis 37)

Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days.

Genesis 37:35   (Read all of Genesis 37)

All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. "No," he said, "I will continue to mourn until I join my son in the grave." So his father wept for him.

Genesis 37:36   (Read all of Genesis 37)

Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard.

Genesis 38:1   (Read all of Genesis 38)

At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah.

Genesis 38:2   (Read all of Genesis 38)

There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and made love to her;

Genesis 38:3   (Read all of Genesis 38)

she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er.

Genesis 38:4   (Read all of Genesis 38)

She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan.

Genesis 38:5   (Read all of Genesis 38)

She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.

Genesis 38:7   (Read all of Genesis 38)

But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the Lord's sight; so the Lord put him to death.

Genesis 38:8   (Read all of Genesis 38)

Then Judah said to Onan, "Sleep with your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother."

Genesis 38:9   (Read all of Genesis 38)

But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother.

Genesis 38:10   (Read all of Genesis 38)

What he did was wicked in the Lord's sight; so the Lord put him to death also.

Genesis 38:11   (Read all of Genesis 38)

Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Live as a widow in your father's household until my son Shelah grows up." For he thought, "He may die too, just like his brothers." So Tamar went to live in her father's household.

Genesis 38:12   (Read all of Genesis 38)

After a long time Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him.

Genesis 38:13   (Read all of Genesis 38)

When Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,"

Genesis 38:14   (Read all of Genesis 38)

she took off her widow's clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.

Genesis 38:15   (Read all of Genesis 38)

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

Genesis 38:16   (Read all of Genesis 38)

Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, "Come now, let me sleep with you." "And what will you give me to sleep with you?" she asked.

Genesis 38:17   (Read all of Genesis 38)

"I'll send you a young goat from my flock," he said. "Will you give me something as a pledge until you send it?" she asked.

Genesis 38:18   (Read all of Genesis 38)

He said, "What pledge should I give you?" "Your seal and its cord, and the staff in your hand," she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him.

Genesis 38:19   (Read all of Genesis 38)

After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow's clothes again.