²² And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and ^(A)lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard about it.

Jacob’s Twelve Sons

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: ²³ the sons of Leah were ^(B)Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; ²⁴ the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin; ²⁵ the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; ²⁶ and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant, were Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram.

²⁴ And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has ^(A)played the harlot; furthermore she is ^[a]with child by harlotry.”

So Judah said, “Bring her out ^(B)and let her be burned!”

²⁵ When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man to whom these belong, I am with child.” And she said, ^(C)“Please determine whose these are—the signet and cord, and staff.”

²⁶ So Judah ^(D)acknowledged them and said, ^(E)“She has been more righteous than I, because ^(F)I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he ^(G)never knew her again.