Zerah

27When it was time for her baby to be born, there were twins inside her.

And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.

28While she was giving birth, one baby put out his hand. The midwife, the woman who helps babies be born, tied a red thread on his hand. She said, "This one came out first."

And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.

NoteA midwife is a woman whose job is helping mothers when a baby is born. The red thread marked which twin came out first. That mattered, because the first son born had the special place in the family.

29But he pulled his hand back, and his brother came out. She said, "How you have broken your way out! This breaking out is yours." So he was named Pharez.

And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.

NoteIn their language the name Pharez sounds like the words "breaking out." People often gave babies names that sounded like something that happened that day.

30Then his brother came out, with the red thread on his hand. He was named Zarah.

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

NoteThe name Zarah sounds like a word for a bright red shine, like the sky at sunrise. It matched the red thread on his hand.

3Judah's sons were Er, Onan, and Shelah. Their mother was Bath-shua, a woman from Canaan. Er was Judah's oldest son. He did what was evil, and the LORD put him to death.

The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born unto him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD; and he slew him.

NoteLORD in capital letters stands for God's own special name. Canaan was the land where Judah's family lived.

4Tamar was married to Judah's son. She had two sons by Judah, named Perez and Zerah. So Judah had five sons in all.

And Tamar his daughter in law bore him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.

NoteThe King James Bible spells this name "Pharez." Newer Bibles spell it Perez. It is the same person.

5The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

The sons of Pharez; Hezron, and Hamul.

6The sons of Zerah were Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara. That is five in all.

And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all.