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Genesis 38:8

Then Judah said to Onan, “Your older brother died without having any sons. So marry his widow and have sex [EUP] with her. That is what our customs require that you should do.”

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

In Context

7But Er did something that Yahweh considered to be very wicked, so Yahweh caused him to die.

9But Onan knew if he did that, any children who would be born would not be considered to be his. So every time he had sex [EUP] with his brother’s widow, he spilled his semen on the ground, so that she would not get pregnant and produce children for his older brother.

Read all of Genesis 38

Cross References

Leviticus 18:16“Do not have sex with your brother’s wife, because that would disgrace your brother.

Deuteronomy 25:5If two brothers live on the same property, and one of them who has no son dies, the man’s widow should not marry someone who is not a member of his family. The dead man’s brother must marry her and have sex [EUP] with her. It is his duty to do that.

Ruth 1:11But Naomi said, “No, my daughters, return home. ◄It will not do any good for you to come with me!/What good will it do for you to come with me?► [RHQ] Do you think I will get married again and have more sons who could become your husbands?

Ruth 4:6Then the close relative of Ruth’s dead husband said, “ If that is so, I do not want to buy the field, because then my own children would not inherit the property; Ruth’s children would inherit it. You buy the property!”

Matthew Henry on Genesis 38:2-12

Judah's Profligacy. ( b. c. 1717.) 1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her. 3 And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er. 4 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan. 5 And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

King James VersionBíblia Almeida (Português)Luther Bibel (Deutsch)Bible Louis Segond (Français)Библия (Русский)聖經 (中文)성경 (한국어)الكتاب المقدس (العربية)बाइबल (हिन्दी)Biblia (Kiswahili)Bibbia Diodati (Italiano)Alkitab (Bahasa Indonesia)Kinh Thánh (Tiếng Việt)

Study Genesis 38:8

Matthew HenryJamieson-Fausset-BrownAdam ClarkeJohn WesleyJohn CalvinKeil and DelitzschScofieldFamily Bible NotesGeneva Bible Notes (1599)
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