Genesis 38:9

And he knew that sons should not be born to him; and he entered [in] to the wife of his brother, and shedded his seed into the earth, lest the free children should be born by the name of the dead brother; (But Onan knew that any sons who would be born would not be his; so he slept with his brother’s wife, but he poured out his seed onto the ground, so that no children would be born in the name of his dead brother;)

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

In The King James Version

And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.

In Context

8Therefore Judah said to Onan, his son, Enter thou [in] to the wife of thy brother, and be thou fellowshipped to her, that thou raise seed to thy brother. (And so Judah said to his son Onan, Sleep with thy brother’s wife, and be fellowshipped to her, and so raise thou up seed, or some sons, for thy brother.)

10and therefore the Lord smote him (or and so the Lord struck him down), for he did (an) abominable thing.

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Cross References

Deuteronomy 25:5When brethren dwell together, and one of them is dead without free children, the wife of the dead brother shall not be wedded to another man, but his brother shall take her, and he shall raise (up) the seed of his brother.

Ruth 1:11To whom she answered, My daughters, turn ye again, why come ye with me? I have no more sons in my womb, that ye may hope husbands of me; (To whom she answered, My daughters, return ye home, why come ye with me? I have no more sons in my womb, that ye may have any hope of husbands from me;)

Job 5:2Wrathfulness slayeth a fond man, and envy slayeth a little child. (Anger killeth the foolish, and envy killeth the childish.)

Titus 3:3For we were sometime unwise, unbelieveful, erring, and serving to desires, and to diverse lusts, doing in malice and envy, worthy to be hated, hating each other.

James 3:16For where (there) is envy and strife, there is unsteadfastness and all shrewd work (or and every depraved work).

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

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