Bible Strands
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses records the census results for the tribe of Judah to the Israelites assembled in the plains of Moab, detailing their clan divisions after the previous generation's death.
The words — The Hebrew בְנֵי־יְהוּדָה (bene-Yehudah) literally translates to "sons of Judah," establishing the genealogical foundation for the subsequent clan listings.
The thread — This lineage appears in Genesis 46:12, which names Judah's sons Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah, and continues in Numbers 26:21 with the descendants of Perez through Hezron and Hamul.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge a specific historical genealogy without importing later theological claims, demanding precise attention to tribal structure before any doctrinal application.
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 Hebrew words
King James Version
And the sons of Judah after their families were; of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites.
Cross-references
- 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.
- Nehemiah 11:24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, a descendant of Zerah son of Judah, was the king’s agent in every matter concerning the people.
- Genesis 38:5 Then she gave birth to another son and named him Shelah; it was at Chezib that she gave birth to him.
- Genesis 38:11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.
- Genesis 38:14 she removed her widow’s garments, covered her face with a veil to disguise herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that although Shelah had grown up, she had not been given to him as a wife.
- Genesis 38:26 Judah recognized the items and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again.
- Ruth 4:18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron,
- 1 Chronicles 2:3 The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah. These three were born to him by Bath-shua the Canaanite. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death.
- 1 Chronicles 4:21 The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the clans of the linen workers at Beth-ashbea,
- Nehemiah 11:4 while some of the descendants of Judah and Benjamin settled in Jerusalem.) From the descendants of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez;