“It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, (it is important to remember here that Judah, the second eldest son, was ultimately instrumental in preserving Joseph’s life; perhaps not such a strong conscientious objector as Reuben, but very effective nonetheless in convincing his brothers to sell him to the slave traders as opposed to killing him, therein setting Joseph on course to glory in Egypt according to God’s will; it can be said therefore that his heart too was not as hardened as that of his other brothers therein also rendering him more vulnerable to torment in the face of his father’s excruciating emotional pain, which would, in turn, strongly urge him to escape the uncomfortable home environment) and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her. (Nevertheless, as The Nation of Israel is fast being established by The Will Of God [“but may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” – 1 Peter 5:10] the enemy will inevitably seek to muddy the waters as it were, enticing Judah to falter [“a righteous man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well” – Proverbs 25:26] where Abraham had not : “he held himself aloof from the people of the land. He was among them, but not of them. He did not attend their tribal gatherings. He carefully guarded against intermarriage with their children, sending to his own country to obtain a bride for his son. He would not take from the Canaanites a thread or a sandal-thong.” – ‘Abraham : Friend Of God’, FB Meyer]). So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.” (And yet the lineage of God’s chosen people is fast expanding with Romans 8:28 rendering whispers of The New Covenant upon its breath! 😀 Recognise also the fair, but Godly hierarchical, distribution of naming rights wherein the daddy named the firstborn : “he called his name Er”, the mommy named the second, bringing to remembrance also our dear suffering Leah : “she called his name Onan” and there is the suggestion of ready compromise or mutual understanding in the naming of the third : “and [they] called his name Shelah”.)

“¹It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. ²And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her. ³So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. ⁴She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.  ⁵And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.”

– Genesis 38:1-5 (NKJV)