Genesis 38:8

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

6Judah chose a wife for his firstborn son Er. Her name was Tamar. 7Er angered the Lord. So the Lord took away his life. Then Judah said to Onan, “Go sleep with your brother’s widow. Do your duty for her as a brother-in-law, and produce a descendant for your brother.” 9But Onan knew that the descendant wouldn’t belong to him, so whenever he slept with his brother’s widow, he wasted his semen on the ground to avoid giving his brother a descendant. 10What Onan did angered the Lord so much that the Lord took away Onan’s life too.

Genesis 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 18:16Never have sexual intercourse with your sister-in-law. She is your brother’s wife.
• Numbers 36:8A woman who inherits land in any of the tribes of Israel may marry a man from any family in her ancestor’s tribe. In this way every Israelite keeps the land inherited from his ancestors.
• Deuteronomy 25:5When brothers live together and one of them dies without having a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother must marry her and sleep with her. He must do his duty as her brother-in-law.
• Ruth 1:11But Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Do I have any more sons in my womb who could be your husbands?
• Ruth 4:5Boaz continued, “When you buy the field from Naomi, you will also assume responsibility for the Moabite Ruth, the dead man’s widow. This keeps the inheritance in the dead man’s name.”
• Matthew 22:23On that day some Sadducees, who say that people will never come back to life, came to Jesus. They asked him,

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

• Adultery
• Inheritance
• Marriage
• Onan
• Tamar

In the dictionaries

• Judah
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Brother's Wife
• Lay
• Levirate Law
• Onan
• Remain
• Archaeology; Archaeology and Criticism
• Ben-Ammi

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