Pharez, also spelled Perez, is a significant figure in the lineage of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the genealogies of the Bible. His account is rooted in the Old Testament, and he is recognized as an ancestor of King David and, ultimately, Jesus Christ, highlighting the providential unfolding of God's redemptive plan through history.

Biblical Account

Pharez was the son of Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, and Tamar, Judah's daughter-in-law. The account of his birth is found in Genesis 38. Tamar, initially married to Judah's son Er, was left childless after Er's death. According to the custom of levirate marriage, she was given to Onan, Er's brother, who also died without providing offspring. When Judah failed to give her his youngest son, Shelah, Tamar took matters into her own hands. Disguising herself as a prostitute, she seduced Judah, resulting in the birth of twins, Pharez and Zerah. The narrative states:

"When the time came for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. And as she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it around his wrist. 'This one came out first,' she announced. But when he pulled his hand back and his brother came out, she said, 'You have broken out first!' So he was named Perez" (Genesis 38:27-29).

Lineage and Significance

Pharez's inclusion in the genealogy of Jesus is noted in the Gospels, underscoring his importance in the messianic line. In the Gospel of Matthew, the genealogy begins with Abraham and traces the lineage through David to Jesus, mentioning Pharez as a key ancestor:

"Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram" (Matthew 1:3).

Similarly, the Gospel of Luke provides a genealogy that traces Jesus' lineage back to Adam, again including Pharez:

"the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, ... the son of Perez, the son of Judah" (Luke 3:34, 33).

Pharez's role in the lineage of Jesus highlights the theme of God's grace and sovereignty. Despite the unconventional and morally complex circumstances surrounding his birth, Pharez is woven into the fabric of God's redemptive history. His account is a testament to God's ability to work through human imperfection to fulfill divine purposes.

Tribe of Judah

Pharez is also significant as a progenitor of the tribe of Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The tribe of Judah would later become the leading tribe of the southern kingdom and the royal line from which King David emerged. The blessing of Jacob upon Judah foreshadowed the royal lineage and the coming of the Messiah:

"The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and the allegiance of the nations is his" (Genesis 49:10).

Pharez's descendants, through the tribe of Judah, played a crucial role in the history of Israel and the unfolding of God's covenant promises. His lineage is a testament to the faithfulness of God in preserving the line through which the Savior of the world would come.Matthew 1:3
And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
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Luke 3:33
Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,
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Answer to Eunomius' Second Book .
... in his Gospel rose above that of the preaching which heralded them, said at the
close of his Gospel, "There are also many other things which Jesus did, the ...
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