ZERAH

(Zeʹrah) [a shining forth; rising].

1. An Edomite sheik. Zerah was the son of Reuel, and grandson of Esau and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter. (Gen. 36:3, 4, 13, 17; 1 Chron. 1:37) Possibly the same as No. 2 below.

2. Father of the second Edomite king, Jobab; he was from Bozrah. (Gen. 36:33; 1 Chron. 1:44) Possibly the same as No. 1 above.

3. A son of Judah and Tamar; twin brother of Perez. (Gen. 38:27-30; Matt. 1:3) Zerah was one of those “who came to Jacob into Egypt.” (Gen. 46:12, 26) His five sons (1 Chron. 2:4, 6) grew into a Judean tribal family (Num. 26:20), and eventually included persons such as Achan (Josh. 7:1, 17, 18, 24; 22:20), two of David’s army leaders (1 Chron. 27:11, 13), and some postexilic residents of Jerusalem.—1 Chron. 9:3, 6; Neh. 11:22, 24.

4. A son of Simeon and founder of a family in that tribe. (1 Chron. 4:24; Num. 26:12, 13) He is called Zohar at Genesis 46:10 and Exodus 6:15.

5. A descendant of Gershon the son of Levi. (1 Chron. 6:16, 20, 21; compare Genesis 46:11.) In 1 Chronicles 6:41 reference may be made to the same person.

6. An Ethiopian, or Cushite, who led a huge army of a million men and three hundred chariots into Judah during Asa’s reign, sometime after 967-966 B.C.E. Zerah met defeat and his fleeing forces were pursued and slaughtered “as far as Gerar.” (2 Chron. 14:1, 9-15) Identification of Zerah with any secularly known Egyptian or Ethiopian ruler remains uncertain.