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Genesis 38:8

JudahOnan

6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.

7 And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.

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

9 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.

10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and raise up offspring for your brother.”
KJV
And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
WEB
Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.”
ASV
And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother`s wife, and perform the duty of a husband`s brother unto her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
DARBY
Then Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and fulfil to her the brother-in-law's duty, and raise up seed to thy brother.
BLB
And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to the wife of your brother and perform the dury of a brother-in-law to her and raise up seed for your brother.”
ÅB
Da sa Juda til Onan: Gå inn til din brors hustru, og ta henne til ekte i din brors sted og oppreis din bror avkom.
OTB
Da sa Juda til Onan: "Gå inn til din brors kone og oppfyll din plikt som svoger mot henne, for å oppreise din brors ætt."
B1930
Da sa Juda til Onan: Gå inn til din brors hustru, og ta henne til ekte i din brors sted og opreis din bror avkom.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Deuteronomy 25:5–10

    If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her.

    Read in context

  • Matthew 22:23–27

    The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,

    Read in context

  • Ruth 4:5–11

    Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.

    Read in context

  • Ruth 1:11

    And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

    Read in context

  • Leviticus 18:16

    Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.

    Read in context

  • Numbers 36:8–9

    And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers.

    Read in context