This story shows how God can bring blessing out of complicated family situations.
“But it came about as he drew back his hand that behold, his brother came out. Then she said, ‘What a breach you have made for yourself!’ So he was named Perez.” (v.29) This verse depicts a dramatic event during Tamar’s childbirth. Initially, one of her twins extended his hand, but then drew it back, allowing his brother to be born first. Although Zerah was the child who presented his hand, Perez ultimately emerged first, creating an unexpected turn of events. The midwife’s exclamation—“What a breach you have made for yourself!”—captures the suddenness and significance of Perez’s birth, highlighting how God can use surprising circumstances to fulfill His plans Matthew 1:3).
Perez’s birth took place in the land of Canaan, a region along the eastern Mediterranean that was central to the patriarchal narratives. Judah, who was one of the sons of Jacob (living around 1900 BC), fathered Perez through Tamar, placing this incident within the ancestral history of Israel. Tamar, who lived during the early second millennium BC, strategically pursued justice and a rightful heir for Judah’s lineage, demonstrating faith and resilience in an otherwise challenging family situation. This context underlines how God meticulously preserves the family line that would ultimately culminate in the coming of Christ.
The name “Perez” means “breach” or “breakthrough,” reflecting not only the circumstances of his birth but also his later significance in biblical genealogy. From Perez’s line comes King David Ruth 4:12) and eventually Jesus the Messiah (Matthew 1:3). In this way, “But it came about as he drew back his hand…” (v.29) signifies more than a curious birth story—it represents a divine intervention that paves the way for redemption through David’s line and ultimately Christ.
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Genesis 38:29 meaning
“But it came about as he drew back his hand that behold, his brother came out. Then she said, ‘What a breach you have made for yourself!’ So he was named Perez.” (v.29) This verse depicts a dramatic event during Tamar’s childbirth. Initially, one of her twins extended his hand, but then drew it back, allowing his brother to be born first. Although Zerah was the child who presented his hand, Perez ultimately emerged first, creating an unexpected turn of events. The midwife’s exclamation—“What a breach you have made for yourself!”—captures the suddenness and significance of Perez’s birth, highlighting how God can use surprising circumstances to fulfill His plans Matthew 1:3).
Perez’s birth took place in the land of Canaan, a region along the eastern Mediterranean that was central to the patriarchal narratives. Judah, who was one of the sons of Jacob (living around 1900 BC), fathered Perez through Tamar, placing this incident within the ancestral history of Israel. Tamar, who lived during the early second millennium BC, strategically pursued justice and a rightful heir for Judah’s lineage, demonstrating faith and resilience in an otherwise challenging family situation. This context underlines how God meticulously preserves the family line that would ultimately culminate in the coming of Christ.
The name “Perez” means “breach” or “breakthrough,” reflecting not only the circumstances of his birth but also his later significance in biblical genealogy. From Perez’s line comes King David Ruth 4:12) and eventually Jesus the Messiah (Matthew 1:3). In this way, “But it came about as he drew back his hand…” (v.29) signifies more than a curious birth story—it represents a divine intervention that paves the way for redemption through David’s line and ultimately Christ.