Zerah: Sunrise. 1. An "Ethiopian," probably Osorkon II., the successor of Shishak
on the throne of Egypt. With an enormous army, the largest we
read of in Scripture, he invaded the kingdom of Judah in the
days of Asa (2 Chronicles 14:9-15) He reached Zephathah, and there
encountered the army of Asa. This is the only instance "in all
the annals of Judah of a victorious encounter in the field with
a first-class heathen power in full force." The Egyptian host
was utterly routed, and the Hebrews gathered "exceeding much
spoil." Three hundred years elapsed before another Egyptian
army, that of Necho (B.C. 609) came up against Jerusalem.
2. A son of Tamar (Genesis 38:30) called also Zara (Matthew 1:3) 3. A Gershonite Levite (1 Chronicles 6:21,41)
