We have seen some messed up stuff in Genesis already; we’re about to witness some more. Any person in the Bible that does anything seems to have some tragic or fatal character flaw. God uses messed up people because that’s the only kind there are. Just wait ’till you see what God’s makes out of this mess, though.

Genesis  38 

At that time Judah went down from his brothers, and settled near a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her as a wife.

3 She conceived, and bore a son; and he called his name Er. 

4 And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she called his name Onan. 

5 And she conceived once again, and bore a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bore him. 

6 Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.

7 And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD put him to death. 

8 Judah said unto Onan, Go to your brother’s wife and marry her, and perform your duty by raising children for your brother. 

9 And Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled his seed on the ground, so that he did not produce offspring for his brother. 

10 The thing which he did displeased the LORD, so he put him to death also.

11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law “Remain a widow at your father’s house until Shelah my son is grown:” for he thought “He may die also, like his brothers did.” And Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

12 In due time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shuah, died. When Judah finished mourning, he went up to his sheep shearers at Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13 And it was told Tamar “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnath to shear his sheep.”

14 She took off her widow’s garments, and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place by the way to Timnath; because she saw that Shelah was grown and she was not given to him as a wife.

15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, because she had covered her face.

16 And he turned to her by the way, and said “Let me come in unto you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter in law. And she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in unto me?”

17 He said “I will send you a kid from the flock.” And she said “Will you give me a pledge, ‘till you send it?”

18 He asked “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said “Your signet ring and your bracelets, and your staff that is in your hand.” And he gave them to her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.

19 She got up and left, and took off her veil and put on her widow’s garments.

20 When Judah sent the kid by his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman, he did not find her.

21 Then he asked the men of that place “Where is the cult prostitute, that was by the side of the road?” And they said “There was no prostitute in this place.”

22 And he returned to Judah, and said “I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said there was no prostitute there.”

23 Judah said “Let her keep the items for herself, lest we be shamed. After all, I sent this kid and you have not found her.”

24 After about three months it was told Judah “Tamar, your daughter-in-law has committed prostitution; and now she is with child as a result.” And Judah said “Bring her out, and let her be burnt.”

25 When she was brought forth, she sent a message to her father-in-law, saying “By the man who owns these I am with child. Please determine who these things belong to, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.”

26 Judah recognized them and said “She hath been more righteous than me, because I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her intimately again.

27 When the time came and she went into labor, there were twins in her womb.

28 When she was in labor, the one put out his hand; and the midwife tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying “This came out first.”

29 As he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said “What a breach you have made for yourself.” So he was named Perez.

30 Afterward his brother came out, that had the scarlet thread on his hand. And he was named Zarah.