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Zerah

Zerah Twin of Perez, the Hand That Came First

Old Testamentc. 1875 BC View journey on map

About Zerah

Zerah was the second of Tamar's twins, though his hand came out first and the midwife bound a scarlet thread on it. He was born after his brother broke through. His most remembered descendant is Achan, whose theft at Jericho cost Israel a battle.

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Zerah's Character Traits

The hand firstBorn secondOf the house of Judah

Zerah's Life Timeline

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  1. The scarlet threadc. 1875 BC

    A hand comes out first; the midwife binds a scarlet thread on it.

    GEN 38:28

  2. Birthc. 1875 BC

    Zerah is born after his brother, the thread upon his hand.

    GEN 38:30

  3. Into Egyptc. 1876 BC

    Zerah goes down into Egypt among the house of Judah.

    GEN 46:12

  4. His descendant Achanc. 1400 BC

    Achan of the family of Zerah takes of the accursed thing at Jericho.

    JOS 7:1

Who is linked to Zerah

Who is linked to Zerah
  • parent of
  • sibling of
  • spouse of
  • covenant with
  • master of
  • in conflict with

Zerah's Key Relationships

Judah
JudahFamily

Father - one of the twins born to him by Tamar.

Tamar
TamarFamily

Mother - the twin whose hand she saw first.

Perez
PerezFamily

Twin - who broke through and was born before him.

Zerah's Key Locations

Canaan
Canaan

Where he was born.

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Jericho
Jericho

Where his descendant Achan's theft cost Israel a battle.

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Spiritual Lessons from Zerah

Marked First, Not First

The midwife tied the thread in good faith: this one is the elder. The birth then went the other way, and the thread marked nothing but the expectation. Scripture keeps the detail because it keeps happening, and the line of promise keeps passing to the one nobody had marked.

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