Genesis 38:29

29 But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, "What a breach you have made for yourself!" Therefore his name was called 1Perez.[a]

Genesis 38:29 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 38:29

And it came to pass as he drew back his hand
Into the "uterus" again; that, behold, his brother came out;
out of his mother's womb, and so was properly born first: and she said;
either Tamar, or rather, her midwife: how hast thou broken forth?
it was astonishing to her how it could be, having never met with the like in her practice before; she could not imagine how it was possible for him to come forth first, when his brother lay in the way of him, and nearest the birth, as appeared by his putting out his hand: [this] breach [be] upon thee;
if any damage comes either to the mother or to the brother, and so carries in it the nature of an imprecation; or rather, that the memory of so strange an event might be preserved, she imposed a name on him that should continue it: therefore his name was called Pharez:
or "therefore he called" {k}; Judah called his name Pharez, agreeably to what the midwife had related. From him, in a line of succession, sprang the Messiah, the Pharez or breaker, ( Micah 2:13 ) ; for the sake of which the whole history of this chapter seems to be recorded, ( Matthew 1:3 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F11 (arqyw) "vocavit", Pagninus, Montanus; "ideoque vocavit", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt.

Genesis 38:29 In-Context

27 When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb.
28 And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, "This one came out first."
29 But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, "What a breach you have made for yourself!" Therefore his name was called Perez.
30 Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Genesis 46:12; Numbers 26:20; 1 Chronicles 2:4; Matthew 1:3

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.