25 The men went to Tamar to kill her, but she sent a message to her father-in-law that said, “The man who made me pregnant is the man who owns these things. Look at them. Whose are they? Whose special seal and string is this? Whose walking stick is this?”
26 Judah recognized these things and said, “She is right. I was wrong. I did not give her my son Shelah like I promised.” And Judah did not sleep with her again.
27 The time came for Tamar to give birth. She was going to have twins.
28 While she was giving birth, one baby put his hand out. The nurse tied a red string on the hand and said, “This baby was born first.”
29 But that baby pulled his hand back in, so the other baby was born first. So the nurse said, “You were able to break out first!” So they named him Perez.
30 After this, the other baby was born. This was the baby with the red string on his hand. They named him Zerah.