'Sheniy' שני means both 'second' and 'scarlet'. When Zarah breached first , a scarlet thread was tied on his hand. <ref>[[Ge 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. </ref> The first son though verbally was declared to be the first son, the scarlet thread declared him to be second. <ref>[[Ge 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. [[Ge 38:30]] And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.</ref>