Onan knew that the seed should not be his own, if he lay with his brother’s wife, he let it fall to the ground, and destroyed it, that he should not give seed unto his brother.

This was evil in the sight of the LORD, which he did; and he slew him also.

And Judah said unto Tamar his wife, Remain a widow in thy father’s house, until Shelah my son be grown up. For he said, Peradventure he will die like his brethren. So Tamar went and stayed in her father’s house.

And it came to pass, when many days were expired, that Shuah’s daughter Judah’s wife died.
And it came to pass, when Judah had mourned, that he went up to shear his sheep to Timnath, with Hira of Odollam his shepherd.

And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold, thy brother in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.

And she put off the widow’s garments which she had on, and covered herself with a mantle, and sat down at the door of the way to Thimnath: for she saw that Shelah was grown, and that she was not given to him to wife.

And when Judah saw her, he thought that she was a harlot, because she hid her face.

And he came to her by the way, and said, Let me lie with thee. For he knew not that she was his cord. And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest lie with me?

And he said: I will send thee a kid of the flock. And she said, Give me a pledge, till thou send it me.

And he said, What pledge wilt thou that I give thee? And she answered, Thy ring, and thy cord, and thy staff, which thou hast in thine hands: and he gave it her, and lay with her: and she conceived by him.

And she arose, and went, and put off her cloak, and put on her widow’s garments.

And Judah sent the goat by his shepherd from Odollam, to fetch the pledge again of the woman: and he found her not.

And he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot that sat by the way side?
They answered: There was no harlot there.

And he came again to Judah, and said: I have not found her: and the men of that place say
that there was no harlot there.

And Judah said, She hath it unto her, she cannot reproach us: for I sent the goat, and thou hast not found her.

For three months Judah was told, Thy daughter Tamar hath whored; and, behold, she is with child in whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, that she may be burned.

And when they brought her forth, she sent unto her brother in law, saying, Of the man that this is, I am with child. And she said, Knowest thou whose is this ring, and whose is this cord, and whose is this staff?

And Judah perceived it, and said, She is more righteous than I: for I gave her not to Shelah my son. But he slept no more with her.

And when she should have given birth, twins were conceived in her womb.

And when she had given birth, one hand came out. And the mother of sorrow took it, and tied a thread round it, and said, This shall be the first that cometh out.

And when he drew in his hand again, his brother came out; and she said, Why hast thou for thy sake torn such a breach? And they called him Perez.

And afterward came out his brother, which had the red thread about his hand. And they called him Serah.
(Genesis)
Chapter 39
Joseph’s ministry, chastity and prison.

Joseph was brought down into Egypt: and Potiphar, an Egyptian man, Pharaoh’s chamberlain and steward, bought him of the Ishmaelites, which brought him down.

And the LORD was with Joseph, that he might be a happy man: and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

And his lord saw that the LORD was with him: for whatsoever he did, the LORD prospered through him,

So that he found grace in the sight of his lord, and became his servant. And he set him over his house, and all that he had he put under his hands.

And from the time that he had set him over his house, and over all his goods, the LORD
blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had, both at home, and in the field.

Therefore he left all that he had in Joseph’s hands, and took no thing for himself, because he had it, save that he did eat and drink. And Joseph was fair and comely in countenance.

And it came to pass after this, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and said, Sleep with me.

But he refused, and said unto her, Behold, my lord taketh nothing for himself in my sight, that is in the house: and all that he hath he hath put under my hands; 9. And he hath nothing so great in the house, which he hath hid from me, except thee, because thou art his wife. How then shall I do such great evil, and sin against God?

And she spake such words against Joseph daily. But he hearkened not unto her, that he slept nigh unto her, nor was about her.

And it came to pass one day, that Joseph went into the house to do his business, and there was none of the servants of the house with him.

And she caught him by his garment, and said, Sleep with me. But he left the garment in her hand, and fled, and ran out of the house.

And when she saw that he left his garment in her hand, she fled out, 14. And she called unto the servants that were in the house, and said unto them, Behold, he hath brought in the man of Egypt to put us to shame. And he came in unto me, and would have slept with me: but I cried with a loud voice.

And when he heard that I made a noise and cried out, he left his garment with me, and fled, and ran out.

And she laid his garment by his side, until his lord came home, 17. And he spake unto him the same words, saying, The same ebramite servant, whom thou hast
brought in unto us, came in unto me, and wouldest have put me to shame.

And when I cried out, he left his garment with me, and fled out.

And when his lord heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, Thus hath thy servant done unto me, he was very wroth.

And his lord took him, and put him in the prison, where the king’s prisoners were within; and he lay there in the prison.

But the LORD was with him, and showed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the officer over the prison,

That he had put under his hand all the prisoners that were in the prison, that all things which were done should be done by him.

For the keeper of the prison took no part in any thing: for the LORD was with Joseph, and whatsoever he did, the LORD gave it good fortune.
(Genesis)
Chapter 40
Joseph lays out the prisoners’ dreams.

And it came to pass afterward, that the king’s tavern keeper in Egypt, and the baker, sinned against their master the king of Egypt.

And Pharaoh was wroth with his two officers, with the officer over the taverns, and with the officer over the bakers,

And he put them in the keeper’s house, in the prison, where Joseph was a prisoner.

And the captain of the guard set Joseph over them to minister unto them: and they sat in prison some days.

And both of them, the king of Egypt’s minister and baker, dreamed a dream in one night, every man his own dream: and every man’s dream had his own meaning.

And when Joseph came in unto them in the morning, he saw that they were sad, 7. And he asked them, saying, Why are ye sad to-day?

They answered: We have dreamed it, and have no man to interpret it unto us. And Joseph said, To interpret belongeth unto God; but tell me.

And the chief porter told Joseph his dream, and said unto him, I dreamed that there was a vine before me,

Which had three branches; and it sprouted, and grew, and blossomed, and the grapes thereof were ripe;

And I had Pharaoh’s cup in mine hand, and took the berries, and crushed them in the cup, and gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.

And Joseph said unto him, This is his interpretation: three branches are three days.

For three days Pharaoh shall lift up thy head, and set thee again in thy service, and thou shalt put the cup into his hand after the former manner, when thou wast his minister.

But remember me, if it please thee, and have mercy upon me, that thou mayest remember Pharaoh, that he may bring me out of this house.

For I was stolen out of the land of the Eberians by stealth: neither have I done any thing here, that they have set me up.

And when the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also dreamed that I had three white baskets upon my head,

And in the topmost basket all manner of baked meat unto Pharaoh: and the birds did eat out of the basket upon my head.

And Joseph answered and said, This is his interpretation: three baskets are three days.

And after three days Pharaoh shall lift up