Bible Strands
Matthew 1:3
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Matthew records this genealogy to document Jesus’ ancestral line. The text places Judah as the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, continuing the recorded lineage from Jacob.
The words — The Greek term ἐγέννησεν (egennēsen) literally means “became the father of” or “begat.” It marks the generational transition from Judah to Perez and from Hezron to Ram.
The thread — This lineage continues in Matthew 1:4, which names Ram as the father of Amminadab. The Tamar-Perez connection originates in Genesis 38:29 and Genesis 46:12.
Why it lands — The text demands acknowledgment of Jesus’ descent from Judah through a documented, multi-generational line. It requires the reader to trace the unbroken record of ancestors without inserting external commentary.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
Cross-references
- Genesis 38:24 About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”
- Genesis 38:29 But when he pulled his hand back and his brother came out, she said, “You have broken out first!” So he was named Perez.
- Genesis 46:12 The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.
- Ruth 4:18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron,
- 1 Chronicles 4:1 The descendants of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.
- Numbers 26:20 These were the descendants of Judah by their clans: The Shelanite clan from Shelah, the Perezite clan from Perez, and the Zerahite clan from Zerah.
- Luke 3:33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
- Genesis 38:6 Now Judah acquired a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
- 1 Chronicles 2:1 These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,
- 1 Chronicles 9:6 From the Zerahites: Jeuel and 690 relatives.