Genesis 38:30
New International Version
Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist, came out. And he was named Zerah.

New Living Translation
Then the baby with the scarlet string on his wrist was born, and he was named Zerah.

English Standard Version
Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

Berean Standard Bible
Then his brother came out with the scarlet thread around his wrist, and he was named Zerah.

King James Bible
And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

New King James Version
Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah.

New American Standard Bible
Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.

NASB 1995
Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.

NASB 1977
And afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.

Legacy Standard Bible
Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.

Amplified Bible
Afterward his brother who had the scarlet [thread] on his hand was born and was named Zerah (brightness).

Christian Standard Bible
Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread tied to his hand, came out, and was named Zerah.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread tied to his hand, came out, and was named Zerah.

American Standard Version
And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zerah.

Contemporary English Version
When the brother with the red thread was born, they named him Zerah.

English Revised Version
And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zerah.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
After that his brother was born with the red yarn on his hand. He was named Zerah [Sunrise].

Good News Translation
Then his brother was born with the red thread on his arm, and he was named Zerah.

International Standard Version
Afterwards, his brother came out, and around his hand was the scarlet. So they named him Zerah.

Majority Standard Bible
Then his brother came out with the scarlet thread around his wrist, and he was named Zerah.

NET Bible
Afterward his brother came out--the one who had the scarlet thread on his hand--and he was named Zerah.

New Heart English Bible
Afterward his brother came out, that had the scarlet thread on his hand, so he was named Zerah.

Webster's Bible Translation
And afterwards came out his brother that had the scarlet thread upon his hand; and his name was called Zarah.

World English Bible
Afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and afterward his brother has come out, on whose hand [is] the scarlet thread, and he calls his name Zerah.

Young's Literal Translation
and afterwards hath his brother come out, on whose hand is the scarlet thread, and he calleth his name Zarah.

Smith's Literal Translation
And afterward his brother will come forth, whom upon his hand the scarlet, and his name shall be called Zarah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Afterwards his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread: and she called him Zara.

Catholic Public Domain Version
After this, his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread. And she called him Zerah.

New American Bible
Afterward his brother, who had the crimson thread on his hand, came out; he was called Zerah.

New Revised Standard Version
Afterward his brother came out with the crimson thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And afterward came out his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and she called his name Zarah.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And after that, his brother came out, on whose hand was the thread of scarlet, and she called his name Zarakh.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand; and his name was called Zerah.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And after this came forth his brother, on whose hand was the scarlet thread; and she called his name, Zara.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Birth of Perez and Zerah
29But when he pulled his hand back and his brother came out, she said, “You have broken out first!” So he was named Perez. 30Then his brother came out with the scarlet thread around his wrist, and he was named Zerah.

Cross References
Matthew 1:3
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.

Ruth 4:12
And may your house become like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring the LORD will give you by this young woman.”

1 Chronicles 2:4
Tamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law, bore to him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all.

Numbers 26:20
These were the descendants of Judah by their clans: The Shelanite clan from Shelah, the Perezite clan from Perez, and the Zerahite clan from Zerah.

1 Chronicles 4:1
The descendants of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.

Luke 3:33
the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

1 Chronicles 2:9-10
The sons who were born to Hezron: Jerahmeel, Ram, and Caleb. / Ram was the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab was the father of Nahshon, a leader of the descendants of Judah.

1 Chronicles 2:18
Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah and by Jerioth. These were the sons of Azubah: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon.

1 Chronicles 2:24
After Hezron died in Caleb-ephrathah, his wife Abijah bore to him Ashhur the father of Tekoa.

1 Chronicles 2:50
These were the descendants of Caleb. The sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim,

1 Chronicles 4:21
The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the clans of the linen workers at Beth-ashbea,

1 Chronicles 9:4
Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah.

1 Chronicles 27:3
He was a descendant of Perez and chief of all the army commanders for the first month.

1 Chronicles 27:10
The seventh, for the seventh month, was Helez the Pelonite, an Ephraimite. There were 24,000 men in his division.

1 Chronicles 27:22
and over Dan was Azarel son of Jeroham. These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel.


Treasury of Scripture

And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread on his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

Zarah.

1 Chronicles 9:6
And of the sons of Zerah; Jeuel, and their brethren, six hundred and ninety.

Zerah.

Matthew 1:3
And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;

Zara.

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Afterward Afterwards Hand Red Round Scarlet Thread Wrist Zarah Zerah
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Afterward Afterwards Hand Red Round Scarlet Thread Wrist Zarah Zerah
Genesis 38
1. Judah begets Er, Onan, and Shelah.
6. Er's marriage with Tamar, and death.
8. The trespass of Onan.
11. Tamar is reserved for Shelah.
12. Judah's wife dies.
13. Tamar deceives Judah.
27. She bears twins, Pharez and Zarah.














After this
This phrase indicates a sequence of events, following the birth of the first twin, Perez. The narrative structure here emphasizes the unfolding of God's providence in the lineage of Judah. In the Hebrew text, the word used is "אַחַר" (achar), which often denotes a subsequent event or consequence. This highlights the divine orchestration in the birth of these twins, which plays a crucial role in the genealogy of Jesus Christ, as seen in Matthew 1:3.

his brother came out
The emergence of the second twin, Zerah, is significant in the context of biblical narratives where birth order often implies a hierarchy of blessing or inheritance. The Hebrew word for "brother" is "אָח" (ach), which not only denotes a sibling relationship but also a close kinship. This moment underscores the theme of unexpected reversals in the Bible, where God's plans often subvert human expectations, as seen in the accounts of Jacob and Esau, and later, Ephraim and Manasseh.

with the scarlet thread on his hand
The scarlet thread is a symbol of identification and significance. In Hebrew, "שָׁנִי" (shani) refers to a bright red color, often associated with royalty, sacrifice, and redemption. This thread was tied by the midwife to mark Zerah as the firstborn, yet he was born second. The scarlet thread can be seen as a foreshadowing of redemption through blood, a theme that runs throughout Scripture, culminating in the sacrifice of Christ.

so he was named Zerah
The naming of Zerah, which means "brightness" or "rising" in Hebrew, reflects the cultural importance of names as prophetic or descriptive of one's destiny. Names in the Bible often carry significant weight, revealing character or divine purpose. Zerah's name, despite his secondary birth, suggests a future of potential and promise. This highlights the biblical theme that God's purposes are not bound by human conventions or expectations.

(30) Zarah.--Heb., the rising, especially of the sun. There is in the name an allusion to the red streak placed (upon the child's hand.

Verse 30. - And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and hi, name was called Zarah - Splendor.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then
וְאַחַר֙ (wə·’a·ḥar)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

his brother
אָחִ֔יו (’ā·ḥîw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )

came out
יָצָ֣א (yā·ṣā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

with
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

the scarlet thread
הַשָּׁנִ֑י (haš·šā·nî)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8144: Crimson, the insect, its color, stuff dyed with it

around
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

his wrist,
יָד֖וֹ (yā·ḏōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

and he was named
וַיִּקְרָ֥א (way·yiq·rā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

Zerah.
זָֽרַח׃ (zā·raḥ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2226: Zerah -- three Israelites, also an Edomite, also an Ethiopian


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OT Law: Genesis 38:30 Afterward his brother came out that had (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 38:29
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