ZERAH zĭr’ ə (זֶ֥רַח; meaning derived from the root “to shine”; shining, dawning, rising; or an abbreviated form of “he [God] has shone forth,” cf. זְרַֽחְיָ֥ה [1 Chron 6:6 etc.]). Alternate forms are ZARAH, zâr e KJV (Gen 38:30; 46:12), ZARA (Matt 1:3 KJV). The family name is ZERAHITE zur e hīt (KJV ZARHITE Num 26:20; Josh 7:18; 1 Chron 27:11, 13). 1. An Edomite chief descended from both Esau and Ishmael. He was a son of Reuel, the son of Esau and Basemath the daughter of Ishmael (Gen 36:2, 3, 13, 17; 1 Chron 1:37 and perhaps 44, unless this is another Zerah the father of an early Edomite king, Jobab cf. Gen 36:33).

2. One of the twins born to Judah by Tamar his daughter-in-law (Gen 38:30; 46:12; 1 Chron 2:4). His name arose from the peculiar nature of his birth. His hand appeared first and was tied with a scarlet thread but through unusual circumstances his brother was born first. He was called Zerah because he first appeared. He later founded a subbranch of the tribe of Judah, the Zerahites (Num 26:20) or “Sons of Zerah” (1 Chron 9:6; Neh 11:24). His five sons were Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol and Dara (1 Chron 2:6). He was an ancestor of Achan (Josh 7:1, 18, 24; 22:20) and of Pethahiah (Neh 11:24). He and his brother Perez appear in the genealogy of Jesus (Matt 1:3).

3. A son of Simeon the founder of the Zerahites a sub-branch of the tribe of Simeon (Num 26:13; 1 Chron 4:24). In parallel passages (Gen 46:10; Exod 6:15) he is called Zohar.

4. A Levite of the family of Gershom (1 Chron 6:21, 41).

5. An Ethiopian, or perhaps a South Arabian tribe of Cushites (since the name appears in O.S. Arabian inscrs.) כּוּשִׁי׃֙ (cf. Num 12:1; Hab 3:7), who attacked King Asa of Judah, but was defeated in battle at Mareshah and pursued to Gerar (q.v.) where he was completely routed (2 Chron 14:9-15). The number “a thousand thousand” might conceivably be interpreted as “a thousand units,” since the same consonants אלף represent both the number and a military unit. The presence of tents, flocks and camels among the booty suggests Bedouin raiders.

Bibliography W. F. Albright, From the Stone Age to Christianity (1957), 46, 47.