Zerah is a figure mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible. There are two different men named Zerah in the Bible, and there is some confusion between the two in different passages.
Zerah the Son of Judah
One Zerah was the son of Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Judah was one of the twelve sons of Jacob (Genesis 35:23). This Zerah was Judah’s firstborn son through his Canaanite wife, the daughter of Shua (Genesis 38:2). Zerah had a twin brother named Perez (Genesis 38:27-30). The unusual birth story of Perez and Zerah is recounted in Genesis 38.
Genesis 38 describes how Judah’s firstborn son, Er, died because he was wicked in the sight of the Lord. Judah then told his second son, Onan, to perform the duty of a brother-in-law and raise offspring for Er through Er’s widow, Tamar. But Onan spilled his seed on the ground to avoid raising offspring for his brother. So the Lord put Onan to death as well (Genesis 38:6-10).
After the death of his two oldest sons, Judah was afraid to give his third son Shelah to Tamar. So Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and tricked Judah into sleeping with her and getting her pregnant (Genesis 38:11-23). When it was discovered that Tamar was pregnant, she was about to be put to death for prostitution. But she proved that Judah was the father by showing his seal, cord, and staff that he had left with her as collateral when he slept with her. Judah acknowledged that she was more righteous than he was, because he failed to give her to his son Shelah as he had promised (Genesis 38:24-26).
When the time came for Tamar to give birth, there were twins in her womb. While she was giving birth, one child put out his hand, and the midwife tied a scarlet thread around his hand to designate him as the firstborn. But then that child drew his hand back in, and his brother was actually born first. He was named Perez. Then his brother with the scarlet thread came out, and he was named Zerah (Genesis 38:27-30).
So in summary, Zerah was the son of Judah born to Tamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law. He had a twin brother named Perez. The unusual circumstances of his birth are recorded in Genesis 38.
Zerah the Ethiopian
There is another Zerah mentioned in 2 Chronicles 14. This Zerah is described as “the Ethiopian” and an enemy of King Asa of Judah. The passage says:
And Asa had an army of 300,000 from Judah, armed with large shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin with small shields and bows. All these were mighty men of valor. Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. And Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up their lines of battle in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. And Asa cried to the Lord his God, “O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.” So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. (2 Chronicles 14:8-12, ESV)
This Zerah is clearly a different person than Zerah the son of Judah. Zerah the Ethiopian was an enemy military commander who waged war against Asa the king of Judah, sometime between 913-873 BC. He led an army of a million men and 300 chariots against Jerusalem. King Asa prayed to God for deliverance, and God defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah’s smaller army. After this victory King Asa and his army pursued the Ethiopians as far as Gerar, plundering their camps after they fled (2 Chronicles 14:13-15).
The passage does not give any further details about Zerah’s background other than calling him “the Ethiopian.” But God used his attack on Judah as an occasion for King Asa to trust in God, leading to a miraculous victory for Judah over a superior military force.
Confusion Between the Two Zerahs
Some confusion exists between these two different men named Zerah. This is because Numbers 26:20 lists Zerah as the son of Simeon, which creates difficulty reconciling this with the Zerah son of Judah mentioned in Genesis 38.
Numbers 26 gives a genealogy of Israel by their tribes and clans. In the tribe of Simeon it says “And the sons of Simeon according to their clans: of Nemuel, the clan of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the clan of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the clan of the Jachinites; of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the clan of the Shaulites” (Numbers 26:12-13).
Some propose that Simeon married the daughter of the Zerah from Judah, and thus raised up heirs in his name. But there are difficulties with this theory. Others think copyist errors may have crept into the Hebrew text of Numbers 26 at some point in history. In any case, the Zerah of Numbers 26 appears to be distinct from the one mentioned in Genesis 38.
Further confusion results from Joshua 7:1 which refers to “Zerah the son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.” Some take this as a reference linking the Zerah of Joshua back to the Zerah son of Judah. But again, this seems doubtful and the phrase “son of Zerah” may simply refer to his being a descendant, not necessarily the direct son.
In summary, the Zerah son of Judah in Genesis 38 appears to be a different person than the Zerah the Ethiopian military commander in 2 Chronicles 14. The Zerah of Numbers 26 and the Zerah of Joshua 7 may also be different individuals, rather than the same Zerah son of Judah from Genesis 38.
The Meaning of the Name Zerah
The name Zerah (also spelled Zarah in some Bible versions) means “rising” or “dawning” and comes from a Hebrew root word meaning “to rise, come forth.” This name is appropriate considering the rising of the sun was used as a metaphor for the dawning of light, day, and new beginnings.
In the case of Zerah son of Judah, the name may reference the unusual nature of his birth with his hand “rising” first out of the womb before his twin brother Perez “burst forth” first to be born (Genesis 38:27-30). The imagery of his hand rising first fits with the meaning of his name “dawning.”
The name Zerah appears frequently throughout the Old Testament, borne by several different minor figures in addition to the two more prominent Zerahs discussed above. The recurrence of the name Zerah reflects the popularity of its symbolic meaning.
Lessons from the Biblical Accounts of Zerah
Though details are limited about both biblical Zerahs, some lessons and themes emerge from their stories:
- God is sovereign even in unusual circumstances like births. The peculiar birth of Zerah son of Judah shows that God brings life even out of dysfunctional family situations.
- God judges sexual sin as seen with Judah’s wicked sons Er and Onan who died. But he also shows mercy as Judah realizes he is more unrighteous than Tamar.
- God keeps his covenant promises in the line of Judah leading to Jesus Christ. Perez the brother of Zerah is in the genealogy of Christ (Matthew 1:3).
- The attack of Zerah the Ethiopian shows that when God’s people cry out to him in helpless dependence, he delivers them from overwhelming odds.
- Victory belongs to God alone and our trust should be fully in him instead of military might or numbers. Asa relied on God and praised him for defeating the vast army of Zerah the Ethiopian.
In conclusion, the stories of the two Zerahs in Scripture, though brief, reinforce key biblical themes of God’s sovereignty, justice, mercy, faithfulness, and sufficiency for those who trust in him.
Zerah’s Legacy in the Bible
Aside from the accounts already discussed, Zerah is mentioned a few other times in the Old Testament:
- 1 Chronicles 2:4,6 – Zerah is included in Judah’s genealogy along with his twin brother Perez.
- Nehemiah 11:24 – A priest named Pethahiah was recorded as a descendant of Zerah son of Judah.
- Isaiah 37:9 and 2 Kings 19:9 – Reference an Egyptian military leader named Tirhakah. Some scholars associate him with Taharqa and the 25th Egyptian dynasty which had origins in ancient Kush or Nubia south of Egypt, possibly linking him with Zerah the Ethiopian.
While details about Zerah’s life are sparse, he was significant enough to be remembered in various biblical genealogies and records. His unusual birth circumstances and Links to the lineage of Judah and Christ point to God’s providence in using the unexpected to advance his redemptive plan.
Extra-biblical Traditions about Zerah
Outside of Scripture, later traditions emerge about Zerah in Jewish and Islamic texts:
- The medieval Sefer haYashar (“Book of the Upright”), attempts to expand on Genesis 38’s account of Zerah’s birth. It adds legendary details such as Tamar almost dying during delivery.
- In some Jewish traditions, Zerah fiercely opposes the Exodus from Egypt and pursues the Israelites as the Red Sea swallows up Pharaoh’s armies. This links him with later enemies of Israel.
- Islamic tradition considers Zerah the Ethiopian to be one of several pious ancient kings. Along with such leaders as Solomon, the Queen of Sheba, and Nebuchadnezzar, they are seen as prophets guiding their people to worship one God.
However, these extra-biblical sources come many centuries after the Old Testament events and contain embellishments not found in any biblical accounts. They expand on biblical names and stories, but cannot be considered historically accurate. The biblical texts give the only reliable information about Zerah and should form the basis for any analysis of his life.
Zerah’s Significance for Christians Today
For Christians today, the brief mentions of Zerah in the Old Testament remain instructive for understanding God’s activity in leading to the redemption through Jesus Christ. Several key implications emerge:
- God is purposeful even in unusual details like the birth of Zerah and Perez. Christians can trust in God’s wise plans rather than insisting on their own.
- Godjudges sin, yet shows patience and mercy. Christians should avoid Judah’s hypocrisy by assessing their own sin before others’.
- As with King Asa, believers must rely on God rather than human strength in spiritual battles. Prayer enables us to experience God’s power and sufficiency.
- Zerah’s blended background reminds us that God loves all nations and one day people from every tribe and language will worship Christ (Revelation 5:9).
The mystery surrounding Zerah’s life reminds us of Ecclesiastes 3:11: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” God’s ways surpass human understanding. So we must trust him even when details are limited, knowing that in Christ, God has revealed his ultimate purpose for all people and all history. Zerah’s story points to the culmination of the biblical narrative in Jesus.
