Hebrew word · H2227

זַרְחִי

hazarchi

Zerahite

A clan name: "Zerahite", a descendant of Zerah. There were two Zerahs with clans: the Judahite Zerah, son of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38:30; Numbers 26:20), and a Simeonite Zerah (Numbers 26:13). Context decides which one is meant.

Appears 6 times in 5 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

Someone descended from Zerah who was a man of the tribe of Simeon living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.10;

son of: Simeon (H8095);

brother of: Jemuel (H3223), Jamin (H3226), Ohad (H0161), Jachin (H3199) and Shaul (H7586H); also called Zerah at Num.26.13,20; 2x27.11,13;

Group of ze.rach (זֶ֫רַח "Zerah" H2226L)

§ Zarhites , of Zerah

descendants of Zerah

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 1 Chronicles 27:11

Range of meaning

A clan name: "Zerahite", a descendant of Zerah. There were two Zerahs with clans: the Judahite Zerah, son of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38:30; Numbers 26:20), and a Simeonite Zerah (Numbers 26:13). Context decides which one is meant.

Against the English

BSB and NIV say "a Zerahite". KJV, WEB and ESV say "of the Zarhites/Zerahites". YLT's "of the Zarhite" keeps the Hebrew singular. All are accurate. The Hebrew "belonging to" (le-) shows that he belongs to the clan.

Used elsewhere in the period

Other Judahite Zerahites appear in Joshua 7:1, 17–18 (Achan's clan) and 1 Chronicles 2:4–6. Verse 13 of this chapter calls Maharai the Netophathite a Zerahite too.

From the study of 1 Chronicles 27:13

Range of meaning

A clan name: a descendant of Zerah. Here it means the Judahite Zerah, one of the twins born to Judah and Tamar (Gen 38:30; 1 Chr 2:4–6). There was also a Simeonite Zerahite clan (Num 26:13), but Netophah lies in Judah.

Against the English

BSB has 'a Zerahite.' KJV, WEB and YLT have 'of the Zarhites / Zerahites / the Zarhite', which keeps the Hebrew sense of 'belonging to' a clan.

Used elsewhere in the period

Num 26:20 lists the Zerahite clan of Judah. Achan was of Zerah (Josh 7:1, 17–18). The famous sages Ethan and Heman are linked with Zerah's line (1 Chr 2:6). Verse 11 calls Sibbecai the Hushathite 'of the Zerahites' as well.

From the study of Joshua 7:17

Range of meaning

A gentilic, meaning a descendant of Zerah. Zerah ('dawning, rising', from zaraḥ, 'to shine forth') was one of Judah's twin sons by Tamar (Gen 38:27–30).

Against the English

KJV spells it 'Zarhites'. Modern versions say 'Zerahites' or 'clan of Zerah'. The meaning is the same.

Used elsewhere in the period

Numbers 26:20 lists the Zerahites as a clan of Judah. 1 Chronicles 2:6–7 gives Zerah's sons, including Zimri, and calls Carmi's son 'Achar, the troubler of Israel', a deliberate pun on Achan's name and the Valley of Achor ('trouble', Josh 7:26).

Where it appears

Numbers · 2

  1. Numbers 26:13 הַזַּרְחִ֑י the Zerahite[s]

    the Zerahite clan from Zerah, and the Shaulite clan from Shaul.

  2. Numbers 26:20 הַזַּרְחִֽי׃ the Zerahite[s]

    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.

    Here: The group name for Zerah's descendants. Achan, whose sin is told in Joshua 7, came from this clan (Josh 7:1, 17).

Joshua · 2

  1. Joshua 7:17 הַזַּרְחִ֑י הַזַּרְחִי֙ the Zerahite[s]

    He had the clans of Judah come forward, and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward, and the family of Zabdi was selected.

    Here: A collective term for the descendants of Zerah, Judah's son by Tamar and twin of Perez (Gen 38:30; Num 26:20). It is singular in form but refers to the whole clan.

1 Chronicles · 2

  1. 1 Chronicles 27:11 לַזַּרְחִ֑י of the Zerahite[s]

    The eighth, for the eighth month, was Sibbecai the Hushathite, a Zerahite. There were 24,000 men in his division.

    Here: "Belonging to the Zerahite(s)": the singular stands for the whole clan. Zerah was one of Judah's twin sons by Tamar (Genesis 38:30; Numbers 26:20), so this places Sibbecai within the tribe of Judah. Hushah gives his hometown and Zerah gives his clan.

  2. 1 Chronicles 27:13 לַזַּרְחִ֑י of the Zerahite[s]

    The tenth, for the tenth month, was Maharai the Netophathite, a Zerahite. There were 24,000 men in his division.

    Here: Literally 'belonging to the Zerahite,' using a collective singular for the clan. This places him in the clan of Zerah, one of the major branches of Judah (Gen 38:30; Num 26:20). Verse 12 uses the same 'belonging to' pattern for Abiezer the Benjamite.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.