{
  "id": "dict_006150",
  "term": "Zerah",
  "slug": "zerah",
  "letter": "Z",
  "entry_type": "biblical_person_name",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "A biblical proper name borne by several Old Testament figures, including Judah’s son by Tamar.",
  "simple_one_line": "A biblical name used for multiple people, especially Judah’s son by Tamar.",
  "tooltip_text": "A Hebrew biblical name used by several Old Testament figures; the best-known is Judah’s son by Tamar.",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Perez",
    "Judah",
    "Tamar",
    "Judah (tribe)",
    "Zerahites",
    "genealogy"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Perez",
    "Tamar",
    "Judah",
    "Edom",
    "Cush",
    "tribe of Judah"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "Zerah is a biblical proper name borne by more than one person in the Old Testament. The best-known Zerah is the son of Judah and Tamar, the twin brother of Perez.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "Biblical proper name; not a doctrine or theme.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Best-known Zerah is Judah’s son by Tamar.",
    "The name also appears in other genealogical and historical settings.",
    "Use context to identify which Zerah is meant."
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "Zerah is a Hebrew biblical proper name used for more than one individual in the Old Testament. In dictionary use it is best handled as a name entry with disambiguation rather than as a theological term.",
  "description_academic_full": "Zerah is a biblical proper name borne by multiple individuals in the Old Testament. The best-known Zerah is Judah’s son by Tamar and the twin brother of Perez (Genesis 38:30; Genesis 46:12; Numbers 26:20). Other references with the same name appear in genealogical and historical contexts. Because Scripture uses the term as a personal name rather than as a theological concept, a useful dictionary entry should identify which Zerah is in view and distinguish the relevant text and family line.",
  "background_biblical_context": "The name appears first in the Judah-Tamar narrative and then in tribal lists and genealogies, where it helps trace Judah’s descendants.",
  "background_historical_context": "Old Testament genealogies often preserve multiple people with the same name, so the context usually determines identity.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "In ancient Israel, names commonly carried family and theological memory; identical names across generations were normal and required contextual disambiguation.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "Genesis 38:30",
    "Genesis 46:12",
    "Numbers 26:20"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "1 Chronicles 1:37",
    "1 Chronicles 2:6-8",
    "2 Chronicles 14:9-15"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "Hebrew זֶרַח (Zeraḥ), a personal name likely related to a root meaning “to dawn” or “to shine.”",
  "theological_significance": "The name itself is not a doctrine, but Zerah’s appearance in Judah’s line highlights Scripture’s attention to real family history and the preservation of covenant ancestry.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "This is a naming and identification issue rather than a theological category: the same proper name may refer to different people, and meaning comes from context.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Do not assume every occurrence of Zerah refers to the son of Judah. The name is shared by multiple biblical figures, so the immediate context must determine identity.",
  "major_views_note": "There is no major doctrinal dispute attached to the name itself; discussion focuses on which person a given passage means.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "Zerah is a biblical proper name, not a theological concept. Any doctrinal use should remain limited to the genealogical and narrative context of the relevant passage.",
  "practical_significance": "Genealogy entries like Zerah remind readers that Scripture is rooted in real families, real history, and careful name preservation.",
  "meta_description": "Zerah is a biblical proper name used for more than one Old Testament figure, best known as Judah’s son by Tamar.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/zerah/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/zerah.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}