Revised Version 1895
Genesis 38:8
8And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her, and raise up seed to thy 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
6And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7And 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 perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her, and raise up seed to thy brother. 9And 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 he should give seed to his brother. 10And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of the LORD: and he slew him also.
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
- Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Onanאוֹנָן'ônân · OnanH209
- Goבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- brother’sאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- performיָבַםyâbam · be brother-in-lawH2992
- herאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- raiseקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
- upקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
- seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
- brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
Cross-references for Genesis 38:8
- Leviticus 18:16Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.
- Numbers 36:8And 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 possess every man the inheritance of his fathers.
- Deuteronomy 25:5If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no son, 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.
- Ruth 1:11And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
- Ruth 4:5Then 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.
- Matthew 22:23On that day there came to him Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection: and 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
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
Revised Version 1895 — 1895 — Public Domain
Commentaries