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.
But as he pulled his hand back, his brother came out first instead. She said, 'How did you break through? This breakthrough is yours!' So they named him Pharez.
This verse describes the surprising birth of Judah's twin son Pharez, whose name means 'breakthrough' because he unexpectedly came out first.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Genesis, this verse is part of the narrative about Judah, one of Jacob's sons, and his complicated family story involving his daughter-in-law Tamar. Tamar had been widowed twice by Judah's sons and took matters into her own hands to secure her place in the family line, leading to the birth of twins in an unusual manner. This event highlights the messy realities of ancient family dynamics and God's ongoing plan through the lineage of Israel, as Perez becomes an ancestor of King David and ultimately Jesus.
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