4915. Verses 27-30 And it happened at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb. And it happened as she was giving birth, that one put out a hand; and the midwife took and bound on his hand a twice-dyed thread, saying, This one came out first. And it happened as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out; and she said, Why have you made a breach upon yourself? And he called his name Perez. And afterwards his brother came out, on whose hand was the twice-dyed thread; and he called his name Zerah.

'It happened at the time' means the subsequent state. 'As she was giving birth' means acknowledgement on the part of internal truth. 'That behold, there were twins in her womb' means the two essentials of the Church. 'And it happened as she was giving birth' means a bringing forth. 'That one put out a hand' means power. 'And the midwife took' means the natural. 'And bound on his hand a twice-dyed thread' means that a sign was placed on it - 'twice-dyed' meaning good. 'Saying, This one came out first' means that it had priority of place. 'And it happened as he drew back his hand' means that it concealed its own power. 'That behold, his brother came out' means the truth of good. 'And she said, Why have you made a breach upon yourself?' means this truth's apparent separation from good. 'And he called his name Perez' means the essential nature of it. 'And afterwards his brother came out' means good which in actual fact is prior. 'On whose hand was the twice-dyed thread' means the acknowledgement that good is such. 'And he called his name Zerah' means the essential nature of it.