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Zerah

biblical_person_name theological_term standard

A biblical proper name borne by several Old Testament figures, including Judah’s son by Tamar.

At a Glance

Biblical proper name; not a doctrine or theme.

Key Points

Description

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.

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.

Historical Context

Old Testament genealogies often preserve multiple people with the same name, so the context usually determines identity.

Jewish and Ancient Context

In ancient Israel, names commonly carried family and theological memory; identical names across generations were normal and required contextual disambiguation.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

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

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.

Related Entries

See Also

Data

Machine-readable JSON for Zerah

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