Who was Zerah in the Bible?
Judah's son, during the years in Egypt and the wilderness
Zerah was the son of Judah and Tamar, and the twin brother of Perez. His birth is recorded in Genesis 38, where it is noted that he put out his hand first during delivery, and the midwife tied a scarlet thread on his wrist. Zerah appears in 8 verses across 6 books of the Bible.
What does the Bible say about Zerah?
Zerah was the son of Judah and Tamar, and the twin brother of Perez. His birth is recorded in Genesis 38, where it is noted that he put out his hand first during delivery, and the midwife tied a scarlet thread on his wrist. However, his brother Perez was actually born first, breaking out before him. Zerah's descendants are mentioned in various genealogies throughout the Old Testament. Most notably, Achan, the man who sinned by taking the devoted things during the conquest of Jericho, was from the tribe of Judah and the family of Zerah. The descendants of Zerah are also mentioned among those who lived in Jerusalem after the exile. In 1Chronicles 27, it is recorded that Shamhuth, from the clan of Zerah, was in charge of the fifth division of David's army. His descendants the Izrahites or Ezrahites included very wise men (1Ki.4.31). Ethan is also credited with composing Psalm 89 (Psalm 1Ki.89.1). Another notable Ezrahite was Heman, who was a singer and musician in the time of David and is mentioned as the author of Psalm 88 (Psalm 1Ki.88.1; 1Ch.6.33). Zerah is also included in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1, highlighting his significance in the lineage of the Messiah.
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Where does Zerah appear in the Bible?
Zerah is referenced in 8 verses across 6 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- 1 Chronicles 2:4
- 1 Chronicles 2:6
- Genesis 38:30
- Joshua 7:24
- Joshua 22:20
- Matthew 1:3
- Nehemiah 11:24
- Numbers 26:20
What else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Zerah.
Common questions
How many times does the Bible mention Zerah?
Zerah appears in 8 verses across 6 books, most often in 1 Chronicles, which accounts for 2 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Zerah?
1 Chronicles, Joshua, Genesis, Matthew, Nehemiah, Numbers.
Where can I read every verse about Zerah?
This page lists 8 of them. Protos carries all 8, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
