Genesis

Genesis 38:27–30

²⁷When the time came for Tamar to give birth, there were twins in her womb. ²⁸And 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. ²⁹But when he pulled his hand back and his brother came out, she said, “You have broken out first!” So he was named Perez.^b ³⁰Then his brother came out with the scarlet thread around his wrist, and he was named Zerah.^c

Footnotes

b 38:29 Perez means breaking out.
c 38:30 Zerah can mean scarlet or brightness.

Read all of Genesis 38

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 38:27

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When the time	בְּעֵ֣ת	bə·‘êṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - common singular construct	H6256 time
came	וַיְהִ֖י	way·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
for	לִדְתָּ֑הּ	liḏ·tāh	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person feminine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
there	וְהִנֵּ֥ה	wə·hin·nêh	Conjunctive waw; Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
were twins	תְאוֹמִ֖ים	ṯə·’ō·w·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H8380 twin
in her womb	בְּבִטְנָֽהּ׃	bə·ḇiṭ·nāh	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H990 belly, body, womb

Genesis 38:28

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And	וַיְהִ֥י	way·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
as she was giving birth	בְלִדְתָּ֖הּ	ḇə·liḏ·tāh	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person feminine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
one of them put out	וַיִּתֶּן־	way·yit·ten-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
his hand	יָ֑ד	yāḏ	Noun - feminine singular	H3027 hand
so the midwife	הַמְיַלֶּ֗דֶת	ham·yal·le·ḏeṯ	Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
took	וַתִּקַּ֣ח	wat·tiq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3947 take
a scarlet thread	שָׁנִי֙	šā·nî	Noun - masculine singular	H8144 scarlet
and tied	וַתִּקְשֹׁ֨ר	wat·tiq·šōr	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H7194 bind, league together, conspire
around	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
his wrist	יָד֤וֹ	yā·ḏōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
This	זֶ֖ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
one came out	יָצָ֥א	yā·ṣā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3318 go or come out
first	רִאשֹׁנָֽה׃	ri·šō·nāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7223 former, first, chief
she announced	לֵאמֹ֔ר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say

Genesis 38:29

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But when he pulled his hand	יָד֗וֹ	yā·ḏōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
back	כְּמֵשִׁ֣יב	kə·mê·šîḇ	Preposition-k; Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular	H7725 turn back, return
and his brother	אָחִ֔יו	’ā·ḥîw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
came out	יָצָ֣א	yā·ṣā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3318 go or come out
she said	וַתֹּ֕אמֶר	wat·tō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say
You have broken out first	פָּרַ֖צְתָּ	pā·raṣ·tā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H6555 break through
So he was named	וַיִּקְרָ֥א	way·yiq·rā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
Perez	פָּֽרֶץ׃	pā·reṣ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6557 Perets

Genesis 38:30

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then	וְאַחַר֙	wə·’a·ḥar	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H310 behind
his brother	אָחִ֔יו	’ā·ḥîw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
came out	יָצָ֣א	yā·ṣā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3318 go or come out
with	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
the scarlet thread	הַשָּׁנִ֑י	haš·šā·nî	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H8144 scarlet
around	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
his wrist	יָד֖וֹ	yā·ḏōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
and he was named	וַיִּקְרָ֥א	way·yiq·rā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
Zerah	זָֽרַח׃ס	zā·raḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H2226 Zerach

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Genesis 38:27 Genesis 25:24

Genesis 38:29 Genesis 46:12 · 1 Chronicles 2:4 · Numbers 26:20 · Matthew 1:3 · Nehemiah 11:6 · Ruth 4:12 · Nehemiah 11:4 · 1 Chronicles 9:4 · Luke 3:33

Genesis 38:30 1 Chronicles 9:6 · Matthew 1:3 · 1 Chronicles 2:4

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.