Genesis 38:28

28 While she was giving birth, one baby put his hand out. The nurse tied a red string on his hand and said, "This baby came out first."

Genesis 38:28 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 38:28

And it came to pass when she travailed
Her birth throes came strong and quick upon her: that [the one] put out [his] hand;
which showed that she was like to have a difficult and dangerous time of it; that the birth was not like to be according to the usual and natural order, which may be considered as a correction for her sin: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying,
this came out first;
she tied this to his wrist, that she might know whose hand it was, and so which was the firstborn; which, to know was a matter of consequence, since to the firstborn there were some special and peculiar privileges.

Genesis 38:28 In-Context

26 Judah recognized them and said, "She is more in the right than I. She did this because I did not give her to my son Shelah as I promised." And Judah did not have sexual relations with her again.

27 When the time came for Tamar to give birth, there were twins in her body.

28 While she was giving birth, one baby put his hand out. The nurse tied a red string on his hand and said, "This baby came out first."

29 But he pulled his hand back in, so the other baby was born first. The nurse said, "So you are able to break out first," and they named him Perez.

30 After this, the baby with the red string on his hand was born, and they named him Zerah.