A son of Judah by Tamar, and brother to Zerah. He is listed in the family line of Jesus.
About Perez
Son of Judah. His name comes from a Hebrew word meaning "he who bursts forth." It refers to how he unexpectedly came first from Tamar's womb before his twin brother, Zerah (Genesis 38:29). He fathered two sons, Hezron and Hamul, and became the ancestral head of the Perezite family (Genesis 46:12; Numbers 26:20–21; 1 Chronicles 2:4–5; 4:1). The King James Version and the Apocrypha translate the name as Pharez, Phares, and Pharzite.
Through the children of his son Hezron, he became the ancestor of David and Jesus Christ (Ruth 4:18–22; Matthew 1:3; Luke 3:33). This clan was respected in the tribe of Judah. They were blessed by the men of Bethlehem (Ruth 4:12). A descendant named Jashobeam commanded David’s captains for the first month of each year (1 Chronicles 27:2–3). Upon the return from captivity in Babylon, 468 Perezites were chosen to live in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 9:4; Nehemiah 11:4–6).
Family Relationships
- Parents
- Judah, Tamar
- Sibling
- Zerah
- Half-siblings 3
- Er, Onan, Shelah
- Children 2
- Hezron, Hamul
- Nieces & Nephews 10
- Er (1 Chronicles 4:21), Laadah, Jokim, Joash (1 Chronicles 4:22), Saraph, Zabdi, Ethan (1 Chronicles 2:6), Heman (1 Chronicles 2:6), Calcol (1 Chronicles 2:6), Dara
- Aunt
- Dinah
- Uncles 11
- Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Dan (Patriarch), Naphtali, Gad (Patriarch), Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin
- Cousins 52
- Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, Carmi, Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zerah, Shaul, Gershon, Kohath, Merari, Jochebed, Hushim (Genesis 46:23), Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, Shillem, Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arod, Areli, Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi (Genesis 46:17), Beriah, Serah, Tola, Puah, Jashub, Shimron, Sered, Elon (Genesis 46:14), Jahleel, Manasseh (Son of Joseph), Ephraim, Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, Ard, Ahiram, Jediael
Key References
But when he pulled his hand back and his brother came out, she said, “You have broken out first!” So he was named Perez.
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.
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.
All Scripture References (15)
Genesis (2)
But when he pulled his hand back and his brother came out, she said, “You have broken out first!” So he was named Perez.
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.
Numbers (2)
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.
And these were the descendants of Perez: the Hezronite clan from Hezron and the Hamulite clan from Hamul.
Ruth (2)
1 Chronicles (5)
Tamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law, bore to him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all.
The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.
The descendants of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.
Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah.
He was a descendant of Perez and chief of all the army commanders for the first month.
Nehemiah (2)
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;
The descendants of Perez who settled in Jerusalem totaled 468 men of valor.
Matthew (1)
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.
Luke (1)
the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,