Amplified Bible
Genesis 38:8
8Then Judah told Onan, “Go in to your brother’s widow, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law [under the levirate marriage custom]; [be her husband and] raise children for [the name of] your brother.”
Genesis 38:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.”
Context of Genesis 38:8
6Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. 7But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him [in judgment]. Then Judah told Onan, “Go in to your brother’s widow, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law [under the levirate marriage custom]; [be her husband and] raise children for [the name of] your brother.” 9Onan knew that the child (heir) would not be his [but his dead brother’s]; so whenever he lay with his brother’s widow, he spilled his seed on the ground [to prevent conception], so that he would not give a child to his brother. 10But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord; therefore He killed him also [in judgment].
Read all of Genesis 38Genesis 38:8 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוּדָה֙ לְאוֹנָ֔ן בֹּ֛א אֶל־אֵ֥שֶׁת אָחִ֖יךָ וְיַבֵּ֣ם אֹתָ֑הּ וְהָקֵ֥ם זֶ֖רַע לְאָחִֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Onanאוֹנָן'ônân · OnanH209
- Go inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- unto thy brother’sאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- and marryיָבַםyâbam · be brother-in-lawH2992
- her, and raise upקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
- seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
Cross-references for Genesis 38:8
- Leviticus 18:16You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.
- Numbers 36:8Every daughter who possesses an inheritance [of land] in any one of the tribes of the Israelites shall marry [only] a man whose family is of her father’s tribe, so that the Israelites may each possess the inheritance of his fathers (tribal ancestors).
- Deuteronomy 25:5“If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, the widow of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall be intimate with her after taking her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.
- Ruth 1:11But Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters, why should you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that may become your husbands?
- Ruth 4:5Then Boaz said, “The day that you buy the field from Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, to restore the name of the deceased to his inheritance.”
- Matthew 22:23On that day some Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection [of the dead], came to Him and asked Him a question,
Commentaries on Genesis 38:8
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-30Verses 1-30 - The Family of Judah 1. עדלם ‛ǎdûllâm Adullam, “righteousness.” חירה chı̂yrâh Chirah, “nobility?” 2. שׁוּע shûa‛ Shua, “luck, riches, cry.” 3. ער ‛êr Er, “watching.” 4. אונן 'ônân Onan, “strong.” 5. שׁלה shēlâh Shelah, “request? rest.” כזיב kezı̂yb Kezib, “falsehood.” 6. תמר tāmār Tamar, “palm.” 12. תמנה tı̂mnâh Timnah, “counted or assigned.” 14. עינים 'êynayı̂m Enaim, “two fountains.” 29. פרץ perets Perets, “breach.” This…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Perform your duty ... raise up offspring for your brother: This reflects the custom of levirate marriage (a practice where a man marries his dead brother’s wife). In this custom, if a man died without children, his brother or nearest relative would marry the widow. The goal was to have a child who would carry on the dead man’s name and inherit his property. This practice was later included in God’s law for Israel (Deuteronomy 25:5–10). A close relative…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Judah said unto Onan ... marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother--The first instance of a custom, which was afterwards incorporated among the laws of Moses, that when a husband died leaving a widow, his brother next of age was to marry her, and the issue, if any, was to be served heir to the deceased (compare De 25:5).Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 38:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 38
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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