Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his
hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, this came out first.
The building up of Judah's family hereby, notwithstanding, in the birth of Pharez and Zarah, from whom descended the most considerable families of the illustrious tribe of Judah. It should seem, the birth was hard to the mother, by which she was corrected for her sin. The children also, like Jacob and Esau, struggled for the birthright, and Pharez obtained it, who is ever named first, and from him Christ descended. He had his name from his breaking forth before his brother: This breach be upon thee, which is applicable to those that sow discord, and create distance, between brethren. The Jews, as Zarah, bade fair for the birthright, and were marked with a scarlet thread, as those that came out first; but the Gentiles, like Pharez, as a son of violence, got the start of them, by that violence which the kingdom of heaven suffers, and attained to the righteousness of which the Jews came short. Yet, when the fullness of time is come, all Israel shall be saved. Both these sons are named in the genealogy of our Savior (Mt 1:3), to perpetuate the story, as an instance of the humiliation of our Lord Jesus. Some observe that the four eldest sons of Jacob fell under very foul guilt, Reuben and Judah under the guilt of incest, Simeon and Levi under that of murder; yet they were patriarchs, and from Levi descended the priests, from Judah the kings and Messiah. Thus they became examples of repentance, and monuments of pardoning mercy.
29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand that, behold, his
brother came out: and she said, how hast thou broken forth? This breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.
30 And afterward came out his brother that had the scarlet thread
upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.