Zerah
Zerah - Hebrew
zerach sunrise. (1.) An "Ethiopian," probably Osorkon II., the
successor of Shishak on the throne of Egypt. With an enormous
army, the largest we read of in Scripture, he invaded the
kingdom of Judah in the days of Asa (2 Chr. 14:9-15). He reached
Zephathah, and there encountered the army of Asa. This is the
only instance "in all the annals of Judah of a victorious
encounter in the field with a first-class heathen power in full
force." The Egyptian host was utterly routed, and the
Hebrewss
gathered "exceeding much spoil." Three hundred years elapsed
before another Egyptian army, that of Necho (B.C. 609), came up
against Jerusalem.
(2.) A son of Tamar (Gen. 38:30); called also Zara (Matt.
1:3). Zerah was the twin of Perez (Perets); when Zerah stuck his hand out, the midwife tied a bright red string around it, then Perez came out fully, and then Zerah, who was named for the brightness of the string.
(3.) A Gershonite Levite (1 Chr. 6:21, 41).
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