Genesis 38:9

⁷ But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; so the LORD put him to death.

⁸ 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.”

But Onan knew that the offspring would not belong to him; so whenever he would sleep with his brother’s wife, he would spill his seed on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother.

¹⁰ What he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, so He put Onan to death as well.

¹¹ Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.

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: But Onan knew that the offspring would not belong to him; so whenever he would sleep with his brother’s wife, he would spill his seed on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother.
KJV: 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.
WEB: Onan knew that the offspring wouldn’t be his; and when he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother.
ASV: And Onan knew that the seed would 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 he should give seed to his brother.
DARBY: But when Onan knew that the seed should not be his own, it came to pass when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled [it] on the ground, in order to give no seed to his brother.
BLB: And Onan knew that the seed would not belong to him. And it came to pass, when he went in to the wife of his brother, that he destroyed it on the earth, so that he would not give seed to his brother.

ÅB: Men Onan visste at avkommet ikke skulle høre ham til; når han derfor gikk inn til sin brors hustru, spilte han sæden på jorden for ikke å gi sin bror avkom.
OTB: Men Onan visste at ætten ikke ville bli hans; derfor lot han sin sæd gå til spille på jorden hver gang han hadde samkvem med sin brors kone, for å unngå å gi sin bror etterkommere.
B1930: Men Onan visste at avkommet ikke skulde høre ham til; når han derfor gikk inn til sin brors hustru, spilte han sæden på jorden for ikke å gi sin bror avkom.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

James 4:5
Or do you think the Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to dwell in us yearns with envy?
Read in context
Deuteronomy 25:6
The first son she bears will carry on the name of the dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.
Read in context
James 3:16
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
Read in context
Titus 3:3
For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
Read in context
Job 5:2
For resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.
Read in context
Proverbs 27:4
Wrath is cruel and anger is like a flood, but who can withstand jealousy?
Read in context
James 3:14
But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.
Read in context
Ruth 4:10
Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, to raise up the name of the deceased through his inheritance, so that his name will not disappear from among his brothers or from the gate of his home. You are witnesses today.”
Read in context