Genesis 38:7

Genesis 38:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him.
• New International Version (NIV)But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him.

Context of Genesis 38:7

5And when she gave birth to a third son, she named him Shelah. At the time of Shelah’s birth, they were living at Kezib. 6In the course of time, Judah arranged for his firstborn son, Er, to marry a young woman named Tamar. But Er was a wicked man in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord took his life. 8Then Judah said to Er’s brother Onan, “Go and marry Tamar, as our law requires of the brother of a man who has died. You must produce an heir for your brother.” 9But Onan was not willing to have a child who would not be his own heir. So whenever he had intercourse with his brother’s wife, he spilled the semen on the ground. This prevented her from having a child who would belong to his brother.

Genesis 38:7 word by word

וַיְהִ֗י עֵ֚ר בְּכ֣וֹר יְהוּדָ֔ה רַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיְמִתֵ֖הוּ יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Erעֵר‛êr · ErH6147
• Judah’sיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
• was wickedרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• in the sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• slewמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Genesis 38:7

• Genesis 46:12The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (though Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
• Numbers 26:19Judah had two sons, Er and Onan, who had died in the land of Canaan.
• Genesis 6:8But Noah found favor with the Lord.
• Genesis 13:13But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord.
• Genesis 19:13For we are about to destroy this city completely. The outcry against this place is so great it has reached the Lord, and he has sent us to destroy it.”
• 2 Chronicles 33:6Manasseh also sacrificed his own sons in the fire in the valley of Ben-Hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and he consulted with mediums and psychics. He did much that was evil in the Lord’s sight, arousing his anger.
• 1 Chronicles 2:3Judah had three sons from Bathshua, a Canaanite woman. Their names were Er, Onan, and Shelah. But the Lord saw that the oldest son, Er, was a wicked man, so he killed him.
• Psalms 55:23But you, O God, will send the wicked down to the pit of destruction. Murderers and liars will die young, but I am trusting you to save me.

Commentaries on Genesis 38:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Er - was wicked in the sight of the Lord - What this wickedness consisted in we are not told; but the phrase sight of the Lord being added, proves that it was some very great evil. It is worthy of remark that the Hebrew word used to express Er's wickedness is his own name, the letters reversed. Er ער wicked, רע ra . As if the inspired writer had said, "Er was altogether wicked, a completely abandoned character."Read the comment
• 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. 7That Er was a wicked man is not surprising, since his mother was a Canaanite and his father a rebellious Israelite.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-301. at that time--a formula frequently used by the sacred writers, not to describe any precise period, but an interval near about it.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 38:7

• Adultery
• Er
• Inheritance
• Tamar

In the dictionaries

• Lay
• Onan
• Remain
• Archaeology; Archaeology and Criticism
• Ben-Ammi
• Er
• Genealogy
• Genesis
• Harlot
• Husband's Brother

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