Genesis 38:7 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Genesis 38:7 kjv
And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
Genesis 38:7 nkjv
But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him.
Genesis 38:7 niv
But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the LORD's sight; so the LORD put him to death.
Genesis 38:7 esv
But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD put him to death.
Genesis 38:7 nlt
But Er was a wicked man in the LORD's sight, so the LORD took his life.
Genesis 38 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 6:5 | The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth... | God observes and judges pervasive sin. |
| Lev 10:1-2 | Nadab and Abihu... offered unauthorized fire before the Lord... and fire went out from the Lord and consumed them. | Immediate divine judgment for unrighteousness. |
| Num 16:32 | The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up... for what they had done. | Direct divine judgment on rebellion. |
| Deut 32:39 | I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal... | God's absolute sovereignty over life/death. |
| 1 Sam 2:6 | The Lord kills and brings to life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. | God's power over life and death. |
| 2 Sam 6:7 | The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down... for his error. | Swift judgment for irreverence towards holy things. |
| Job 12:10 | In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. | God sustains all life and can withdraw it. |
| Psa 5:4 | For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with You. | God's inherent holiness rejects evil. |
| Psa 7:11 | God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day. | God's consistent righteous judgment. |
| Psa 90:3 | You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” | God's control over mortality. |
| Prov 11:19 | Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die. | General principle of consequences for good/evil. |
| Isa 3:11 | Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him. | Warning and promise of justice for the wicked. |
| Eze 18:4 | The soul who sins shall die. | Direct consequence of sin is death. |
| Rom 1:18 | The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. | God's wrath against sin is universal. |
| Rom 6:23 | The wages of sin is death... | Sin's ultimate consequence. |
| Heb 10:31 | It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. | God's active judgment inspires awe/fear. |
| Acts 5:1-10 | Ananias and Sapphira... fell down and died for lying to the Holy Spirit. | Divine judgment in the New Testament. |
| Jas 1:15 | When lust is conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. | Process from desire to death through sin. |
| Rev 2:23 | I am He who searches minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you according to your deeds. | God's omniscience and judgment on actions. |
| 1 John 3:4 | Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. | Definition of sin as breaking God's law. |
| Deut 4:25 | If you act corruptly by making a carved image... doing evil in the sight of the Lord your God. | Phrase "in the sight of the Lord" indicating moral offense. |
Genesis 38 verses
Genesis 38 7 meaning
Genesis 38:7 records the divine judgment upon Er, Judah's firstborn son. It states that Er was fundamentally wicked in the Lord's discernment, leading to the Lord's direct intervention in putting him to death. This verse underscores God's perfect justice, His observation of all human conduct, and His sovereign power over life and death, particularly in response to severe unrighteousness.
Genesis 38 7 Context
Genesis chapter 38 serves as an interlude within the larger narrative of Joseph, inserted seemingly abruptly between Joseph being sold into Egypt (chapter 37) and his service in Potiphar’s house (chapter 39). This chapter focuses on Judah, exploring his personal moral failures and the complexities of his family line. The chapter establishes the critical lineage for the promised seed (Gen 12:3), tracing it through Perez, born from Judah and Tamar, rather than through Judah's initially appointed sons, Er and Onan. Verse 7, concerning Er's death, immediately follows Judah's marriage and the birth of Er. It sets the stage for the levirate marriage requirement and its violation by Onan, revealing God's absolute moral standards within the covenant line. Historically, the patriarchal period saw an emphasis on family continuity, primogeniture, and the preservation of a lineage, making the death of a firstborn son, especially through divine judgment, a profound event.
Genesis 38 7 Word analysis
- But Er: (`אֵ֥ר` 'Er) - "Watcher" or "Awakener." The immediate transition from Er's birth (Gen 38:3) to his demise highlights the severity and swiftness of divine judgment. He is Judah's firstborn, making his sin and death particularly significant in the context of inheritance and tribal lineage.
- Judah's firstborn: This detail underscores his status and the expectation of primogeniture in patriarchal society, making his wickedness and subsequent death even more striking and impactful for the family's future.
- was wicked: (`רַע֙` ra') - The Hebrew word 'ra' describes something morally evil, bad, displeasing, or harmful. It signifies a profound moral depravity, not merely a single mistake, but a character flaw or a pattern of egregious behavior that runs contrary to God's righteous nature. The text does not specify Er's exact sin, but 'ra' in the Bible often encompasses actions related to injustice, idolatry, sexual perversion, or a general defiance of God.
- in the sight of the Lord; (`בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה` be'einei YHWH) - "in the eyes of Yahweh." This phrase is crucial. It means God directly observed, perceived, and judged Er's wickedness according to His own perfect, holy standards, not according to human opinion or a subjective assessment. It emphasizes God's omniscience, moral purity, and His role as the ultimate arbiter of good and evil. It sets God's standard above any contemporary cultural norms.
- and the Lord (`וַיהוָה֙` va'YHWH) - The use of the covenant name 'Yahweh' signifies that this was a deliberate, personal, and righteous act of the sovereign God who had chosen this family line. It indicates a direct divine intervention, not a natural death.
- put him to death. (`וַיְמִתֵֽהוּ` vay'mitehu) - "and He caused him to die." This phrasing denotes an active, causative role by God. It wasn't simply that Er died; the Lord brought about his death as a direct punitive measure for his wickedness. This demonstrates God's ultimate authority over life and His judgment against unrighteousness.
- Words-group Analysis:
- "Er... was wicked in the sight of the Lord": This phrase paints a picture of inherent moral corruption directly detected by God. It signals a fundamental character flaw or sustained pattern of sin that offended divine holiness.
- "and the Lord put him to death": This is the stark, uncompromising consequence of the previous phrase. It illustrates God's unyielding justice and His willingness to directly intervene in human lives to uphold His righteousness, especially within the family through whom His redemptive plan would unfold. The act establishes a divine precedent of judgment for wickedness.
Genesis 38 7 Bonus section
This verse subtly introduces the rigorous standard by which God measures human behavior within the chosen lineage, foreshadowing later divine judgments within Israel (e.g., Uzzah, Nadab and Abihu). It implicitly serves as a warning against moral complacency, suggesting that affiliation with God's people does not grant immunity from His judgment. The lack of specific details regarding Er's sin means the focus is not on the precise offense, but on the nature of God's response to sin that is inherently "wicked" in His eyes, emphasizing His perfect moral judgment. The inclusion of this grim detail in a genealogical account underscores God's moral governance being paramount to mere lineage.
Genesis 38 7 Commentary
Genesis 38:7 reveals God's active governance and moral discernment in the lives of His chosen people, even during the patriarchal era. Er's unnamed wickedness, observed directly by God, warranted a definitive divine execution. This verse highlights God's absolute holiness, demonstrating that sin, particularly that which is "wicked in the sight of the Lord," carries dire consequences, including the termination of life at God's hand. It establishes an early and strong theological statement: God observes all things, judges justly, and holds sovereignty over life and death. This judgment paved the way for the later complexities of the levirate law involving Onan, and ultimately for the preservation of the messianic line through unexpected means. The Lord's swift action illustrates that no one, regardless of birthright or status, is exempt from divine justice when violating God's righteous standards.