And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar
The genealogical account of Christ goes on from Judah in the line
of Phares, with whom Zara is mentioned; not because they were
twins, for so were Jacob and Esau, and yet the latter is taken no
notice of; but it may be because of what happened at their birth,
see ( Genesis
38:28 Genesis
38:29 Genesis
38:30 ) . But the line of the Messiah was in Phares, and very
rightly is he put in the genealogy of Christ, the Jews themselves
being witnesses; who expressly say, that "the Messiah comes from
him." These two are said to be begotten of Thamar,
daughter-in-law to Judah; who, though she was a Canaanitish
woman, has the honour to be named in the genealogy of Christ, who
came to save Gentiles as well as Jews: nor can the Jews reproach
our Evangelist for putting her into the account; since they
themselves frequently acknowledge that the Messiah was to spring
from her: they say, F18
``there are two women from whom come David the king, and Solomon, and the king Messiah; and these two are Thamar and Ruth.''Jonathan Ben Uzziel on ( Genesis 38:6 ) says, that Thamar was the daughter of Shem the great.
And Phares begat Esrom;
called Hezron, ( Ruth 4:18 ) where the
same phrase is used as here. He had another son called Hamul, (
1
Chronicles 2:5 ) but the account proceeds from Phares, in the
line of Esrom.
And Esrom begat Aram;
called Ram in ( Ruth 4:18 ) where the
same way of speaking is used as here. Esrom also besides him
begat Jerahmeel, Chelubai, or Caleb, and Segub, ( 1 Chronicles
2:9 1 Chronicles
2:21 ) but these are not in the line. Elihu, who conversed
with Job, is said to be of the kindred of Ram, ( Job 32:2 ) whether the
same with Ram or Aram, may be inquired.