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

6Then Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in Adonai’s eyes, so Adonai put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, go to your brother’s wife to perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up a seed for your brother. 9But Onan knew that the seed would not be his. So every time he went to his brother’s wife he would destroy it on the ground so as not to provide a seed for his brother. 10What he did was evil in Adonai’s eyes, so He put him to death also.

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 18:16You are not to uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife, because that is your brother’s nakedness.
• Numbers 36:8Every daughter receiving an inheritance in one of the tribes of Bnei-Yisrael should marry within the family of her father’s tribe, so that Bnei-Yisrael will each possess the inheritance of his fathers.
• Deuteronomy 25:5“If brothers dwell together and one of them dies and has no son, the dead man’s wife is not to be married outside to a stranger. Her husband’s brother is to go to her and take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law.
• Ruth 1:11Now Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters! Why should you go with me? Do I have more sons in my womb who could become your husbands?
• Ruth 4:5Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from Naomi’s hand, you will also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased over his inheritance.”
• Matthew 22:23On that day, Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Yeshua and questioned Him, saying,

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