Prophecies of Messiah – Genesis 38:29: Descendant of Pharez

Gen 38:27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
Gen 38:28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.
Gen 38:29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.
Gen 38:30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

The ancients believed that King Messiah was to come through the lineage of Pharez. This belief traced back to an interpretation of the word ‘generation’ first seen in Genesis 2:4. In Genesis 2:4 the word תולדות ‘toledot,’ which means generations, is spelled with two ו ‘vavs.’ This word is only spelled like this in one other place in Scripture which is Ruth 4:18 speaking of Pharez as the forefather of King David from whom would come the Messiah. The letter vav is the sixth letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Six is the number of man. This led to the belief that after the fall of man in the Garden the word תולדות ‘toledot’ was only spelled with one vav. The two vav’s of Ruth 4:18 was believed to be a prophecy that Messiah would restore man to his original state (1 Corinthians 15:21-22, 45-49; Romans 5:12-21).

This prophecy of the Messiah coming forth from Pharez was fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 1:3).

John Gill Commentary on Matthew 1:3

And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar,…. The genealogical account of Christ goes on from Judah in the line of Phares, with whom Zara is mentioned; not because they were twins, for so were Jacob and Esau, and yet the latter is taken no notice of; but it may be because of what happened at their birth, see Gen_38:28. But the line of the Messiah was in Phares, and very rightly is he put in the genealogy of Christ, the Jews themselves being witnesses; who expressly say, that “the Messiah comes from him.” These two are said to be begotten of Thamar, daughter-in-law to Judah; who, though she was a Canaanitish woman, has the honour to be named in the genealogy of Christ, who came to save Gentiles as well as Jews: nor can the Jews reproach our Evangelist for putting her into the account; since they themselves frequently acknowledge that the Messiah was to spring from her: they say,

“there are two women from whom come David the king, and Solomon, and the king Messiah; and these two are Thamar and Ruth.” {Shemot Rabba, sect. 30. fol. 131. 4. Caphtor, fol. 122. 1.}

The ancients connected Isaiah’s prophecy of mankind’s victory over death (Isaiah 25:8) with Messiah, the descendant of Pharez.

“the Messiah shall descend from Pharez, and in his day the holy blessed God will cause death to be swallowed up, as it is said, “he shall swallow up death in victory” {Shemot Rabba, sect. 20. fol. 131. 4.}

“when the King Messiah comes, the holy blessed God will raise up those that sleep in the dust, as it is written, he shall swallow up death in victory:” {Zohar in Gen. fol. 73. 1}

Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
Isa 25:9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation {ישׁוּעה ‘yeshuah’}.

For more on the subject of the Messiah see:

Jesus is Messiah YHWH

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