And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.
After that, his brother came out with the scarlet thread tied around his hand, and they named him Zarah.
This verse describes the birth of Zarah, the second twin born to Tamar, who was identified by the red thread the midwife had tied around his hand.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative, Genesis 38 describes the story of Judah and his family, including the birth of twins to his daughter-in-law Tamar after a series of events involving deception and family intrigue. This chapter serves as a brief interruption in the larger story of Joseph, emphasizing themes of divine oversight in human affairs. The scarlet thread on Zarah's hand was tied by the midwife to mark him as the first to emerge during birth, but his brother Perez was actually born first, highlighting God's unexpected choices in lineage.
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