Zerah

Judah's firstborn son by Tamar

Also known as: Sera, Zerah, Zerak, Serakh, Serach, Zerach

The patriarchsPatriarchc. 1850 BC

Zerah was the firstborn of the twin sons of Judah and Tamar. He was born under dramatic circumstances where the midwife tied a red thread around his hand to mark that he came out first, but his brother Perez pushed past him and was born first. Zerah became the ancestor of the Zerahites.

Family

FatherJudah MotherTamar (Judah's daughter-in-law)SiblingPeres

Key events

The dramatic birth

During the birth, Zerah reached out his hand first, and the midwife tied a red thread around it. But his brother Perez pushed past him and was born first, which gave him the name 'breach'.

Gen 38:27 Show in context →

27When the time came for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb.

וַיְהִ֖י בְּעֵ֣ת לִדְתָּ֑הּ וְהִנֵּ֥ה תְאוֹמִ֖ים בְּבִטְנָֽהּ׃ ‬

Gen 38:28 Show in context →

28As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it around his wrist, saying, "This one came out first."

וַיְהִ֥י בְלִדְתָּ֖הּ וַיִּתֶּן־יָ֑ד וַתִּקַּ֣ח הַמְיַלֶּ֗דֶת וַתִּקְשֹׁ֨ר עַל־יָד֤וֹ שָׁנִי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר זֶ֖ה יָצָ֥א רִאשֹׁנָֽה׃ ‬

Gen 38:29 Show in context →

29But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out, and she said, "So this is how you have broken out!" And he was named Perez.

וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כְּמֵשִׁ֣יב יָד֗וֹ וְהִנֵּה֙ יָצָ֣א אָחִ֔יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מַה־פָּרַ֖צְתָּ עָלֶ֣יךָ פָּ֑רֶץ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ פָּֽרֶץ׃ ‬

Gen 38:30 Show in context →

30Then his brother came out, the one with the scarlet thread on his wrist, and he was named Zerah.

וְאַחַר֙ יָצָ֣א אָחִ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־יָד֖וֹ הַשָּׁנִ֑י וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ זָֽרַח׃ ס ‬

Mentioned in Jacob's genealogy

Zerah is mentioned among Jacob's descendants who went down to Egypt, and he is counted as one of the founders of the tribes of Israel.

Gen 46:12 Show in context →

12the sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah—but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan—and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul;

וּבְנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה עֵ֧ר וְאוֹנָ֛ן וְשֵׁלָ֖ה וָפֶ֣רֶץ וָזָ֑רַח וַיָּ֨מָת עֵ֤ר וְאוֹנָן֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן וַיִּהְי֥וּ בְנֵי־פֶ֖רֶץ חֶצְר֥וֹן וְחָמֽוּל׃ ‬

Ancestor of the Zerahites

Zerah became the ancestor of the Zerahite clan within the tribe of Judah, which is mentioned in the censuses in the wilderness.

Num 26:20 Show in context →

20The sons of Judah by their clans were: from Shelah, the Shelanite clan; from Perez, the Perezite clan; from Zerah, the Zerahite clan.

וַיִּהְי֣וּ בְנֵי־יְהוּדָה֮ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לְשֵׁלָ֗ה מִשְׁפַּ֙חַת֙ הַשֵּׁ֣לָנִ֔י לְפֶ֕רֶץ מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַפַּרְצִ֑י לְזֶ֕רַח מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַזַּרְחִֽי׃ ‬

Family

Key events

The dramatic birth

Mentioned in Jacob's genealogy

Ancestor of the Zerahites

Mentioned in the Bible (26)

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