³ she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er.^{(A) 4} She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan.^{(B) 5} She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah.^(C) It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.

⁶ Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.^{(D) 7} But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight;^(E) so the Lord put him to death.^(F)

⁸ 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.”^{(G) 9} 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. ¹⁰ What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also.^(H)

²⁹ But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out,^(A) and she said, “So this is how you have broken out!” And he was named Perez.^{[a](B) 30} Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist,^(C) came out. And he was named Zerah.^[b](D)

¹⁹ Er^(A) and Onan^(B) were sons of Judah, but they died^(C) in Canaan.

¹² Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez,^(A) whom Tamar^(B) bore to Judah.”