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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJames Hastings Dictionary of the Bible: Zerah
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ZERAH.—1. One of the sons of Reuel (Gen_36:13; Gen_36:17, 1Ch_1:37). The name appears again as that of the father of Jobab, one of the early kings of Edom (Gen_36:33, 1Ch_1:44). 2. The younger-born of the twin sons of Judah by Tamar his daughter-in-law (Gen_38:30). He gives his name to the Zerahites (Num_26:24). Of this family was Achan the son of Zabdi (Jos_7:1) or Zimri (1Ch_2:6). Zerah’s sons are mentioned in 1Ch_9:6, and Pethahiah (Neh_11:24) is one of his descendants. He finds a place in the genealogy of our Lord (Mat_1:3). 3. A son of Simeon, and the founder of a family of Zerahites within that tribe (Num_26:13, 1Ch_4:24); called also Zohar (Gen_46:10, Exo_6:15). 4. A Levite name, borne by a Gershonite (1Ch_6:21) and by a Kohathite (1Ch_6:41). 5. The name of the Cushite (2Ch_14:9-15) who invaded Judah in the reign of Asa. The story of this invasion is unknown to secular history, and rests solely upon the authority of the Chronicler. There has been much controversy as to its historicity, and the question is still involved in obscurity. In any case the numbers in the text of Chron. (580,000 men in Asa’s army, 1,000,000 in Zerah’s) are incredibly large.