Genesis 38:11

Plain English Version

Then Judah thought, “My sons Er and Onan, they are both dead, and they didn’t have any kids with that woman. So now, my other son Shelah has to marry that woman and have kids with her. That’s the rule in our culture. But if Shelah marries that woman, he might die too, just like Er and Onan.” So Judah got worried, and he didn’t want his son Shelah to marry that woman Tamar. So Judah talked to Tamar, and he tried to trick her. He said to her, “My son Shelah is too young to marry you now. So go back to your father’s house, and live there. Don’t get married to anyone else. Later on, Shelah will grow up, and then you can marry him.” So Tamar went back to her father’s house, and she lived there. Judah’s son Shelah grew up and became a man. But Judah didn’t keep that promise he made to Tamar. He didn’t let her marry his son Shelah.

Cross References

Genesis 38:14

Tamar thought about Judah’s son Shelah. She knew that he was grown up now, but Judah still didn’t let her marry him. So Tamar thought, “I will trick Judah and get him to sleep with me, like a man sleeps with his wife, so that I can have kids. Then those kids will belong to my dead husband Er.” At that time, Tamar was wearing the sort of clothes that widows wear. But then, Tamar changed those clothes, and she put on some pretty clothes, and she put a scarf over her head, to cover her face. Then she went and sat outside the town called Enayim. That town is on the road that goes to Timnah.