BRAGADAYJAH 129

So Judah’s friend did not find the harlot; and so Judah said, in effect, “I have kept my part of the bargain. I sent her the kid and she cannot be found; so no shame on me. Let the shame be on her.” For a space of three months, there the matter rested; there were no reports of the mystery harlot; but after three months the story surfaced in dramatic fashion. It was told Judah that the mystery woman was no other than her daughter-in-law Tamar; and furthermore, that she was with child; and Judah demanded that she be brought before him to be burnt. When she was brought before Judah, Tamar declared; “by the man whose these things are, I am with child. Discern these things, the signet ring, the bracelet and the staff.” Of course Judah recognized the three items to be none other than his own, and declared and said, “This woman is more righteous than I am, because I gave her not to my son, but went in unto her myself.” Therefore Tamar was spared there being no more talk of burning her. And it came to pass that as she was in labor, it was discovered that she bore twins; and as the first one pushed out his hand, the midwife took a piece of scarlet thread and bound it around his hand to mark that he had come out first. But before the one with the scarlet thread could come out, his brother pulled back his hand and burst himself forth and came out first, that is to say, before the one with the scarlet thread; so the nurse was taken aback and marveled at the breach and so his name was called Pharez, signifying breach; then the one with the scarlet threat came out last and his name was called Zarah. It was one of the duties of the attending midwife to determine which of twins came out first, as this was necessary in establishing the line of succession by appointing the lawful heir. In the circumstances, even though Pharez came out first, Zarah was the first to breach the womb and was accordingly regarded as first born; but Pharaz pulled him back and made his way out first, thereby making himself first born. More.