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.
When she was giving birth, one baby stuck out his hand first. The midwife took a red thread and tied it around his hand, saying, 'This one came out first.'
The midwife marked the first baby's hand with red thread to identify which twin was born first, which was important for inheritance rights.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Genesis, this verse is part of the story of Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar, who was involved in a complex family situation due to Judah's decisions. Tamar gave birth to twins, and during the delivery, one twin reached out his hand first, prompting the midwife to mark it with a scarlet thread as a sign of birth order. This event highlights the intricate details of family lineages in the biblical narrative, which trace the ancestors of key figures like David and ultimately Jesus.
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