Genesis 38:29

29 But he pulled his arm back, and his brother was born first. Then the midwife said, "So this is how you break your way out!" So he was named Perez.

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 came for her to give birth, it was discovered that she was going to have twins.
28 While she was in labor, one of them put out an arm; the midwife caught it, tied a red thread around it, and said, "This one was born first."
29 But he pulled his arm back, and his brother was born first. Then the midwife said, "So this is how you break your way out!" So he was named Perez.
30 Then his brother was born with the red thread on his arm, and he was named Zerah.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. perez: [This name in Hebrew means "breaking out."]
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.