Genesis 38:28

28 And as she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it around his wrist. “This one came out first,” she announced.

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 the items and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again.

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

28 And as she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it around his wrist. “This one came out first,” she announced.

29 But when he pulled his hand back and his brother came out, she said, “You have broken out first!” So he was named Perez.

30 Then his brother came out with the scarlet thread around his wrist, and he was named Zerah.