Genesis 38 9

Genesis 38:9 kjv

And 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 that he should give seed to his brother.

Genesis 38:9 nkjv

But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother.

Genesis 38:9 niv

But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother.

Genesis 38:9 esv

But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother's wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother.

Genesis 38:9 nlt

But 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 verses

Genesis 38 9 meaning

Genesis 38:9 describes Onan's actions to prevent his brother's widow, Tamar, from conceiving, despite his levirate duty to raise up offspring for his deceased brother Er. His method involved "spilling his semen on the ground" during intercourse. The verse explicitly states his motivation: "lest he should give offspring to his brother," revealing a selfish refusal to fulfill his familial and divine obligation.

Genesis 38 9 Context

Genesis chapter 38 stands as a significant narrative interlude within the larger story of Joseph and his brothers. This chapter focuses on Judah, interrupting the flow to highlight his lineage and actions, specifically concerning his sons Er, Onan, and Shelah, and his daughter-in-law, Tamar. Historically, in ancient Israelite and surrounding cultures, the perpetuation of a family's name and line was of paramount importance. When a man died without an heir, it was a profound crisis for the family. The practice of levirate marriage, later formalized in Deuteronomy 25:5-10, obligated a surviving brother to marry his deceased brother's widow and raise a child for the deceased. This child would legally be considered the son of the deceased, carrying on his name and ensuring his inheritance. Onan's actions, therefore, were not merely a private matter but a deliberate defiance of a sacred communal duty intended to preserve lineage and honor the dead brother, and ultimately, an offense against divine expectation.

Genesis 38 9 Word analysis

• And Onan knew (וַיֵּ֙דַע אֹונָ֜ן - vayedaʻ ʼonan):
  • וַיֵּ֙דַע (vayedaʻ): Form of the Hebrew verb יָדַע (yadaʻ), meaning "to know," often implying an intimate or experiential knowing, but here it indicates a clear understanding and awareness of the custom and the consequences. It signifies his deliberate intent and full consciousness of his responsibility and its evasion.
  • אֹונָ֜ן (Onan): Onan, Judah's second son. His name might ironically relate to "strength" or "power," which he misused.
• that the offspring (כִּ֣י לֹּא־לֹ֥ו יִהְיֶ֖ה זָ֑רַע - kī lōʼ-lōw yihyeh zāraʻ):
  • זָ֑רַע (zaraʻ): "Seed," "offspring," "progeny." This term is deeply significant in the Bible, representing lineage, continuity, and the covenantal promises, especially concerning Abraham's "seed" through whom all nations would be blessed (Gen 22:18, Gal 3:16). Onan's action directly frustrated this fundamental biblical concept of seed preservation.
• would not be his (לֹ֥א־לֹ֥ו יִהְיֶ֖ה - lo-lo yihyeh): Explicitly states Onan's recognition that any child conceived through this union would be legally recognized as his brother Er's heir, not his own. This implies a self-centered motive, possibly relating to inheritance rights.
• so whenever he lay with his brother's wife (וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־בָּ֧א אֶל־אֵ֙שֶׁת֙ אָחִ֔יו - ve'hayah 'im-ba el-'eshet 'achiw):
  • This phrase indicates a repeated action, suggesting it wasn't a one-off mistake but a calculated, ongoing defiance.
• he spilled the semen on the ground (וְשִׁחֵ֨ת אַרְצָה֙ - veshiḥet ʼartsah):
  • וְשִׁחֵ֨ת (veshiḥet): "He destroyed," "he corrupted," "he ruined." This powerful verb highlights the destructive and perverse nature of his act. It wasn't merely a neutral action, but one that actively corrupted or rendered futile the potential for life. It suggests an active and deliberate rendering worthless of the life-giving seed.
  • אַרְצָה֙ (ʼartsah): "To the ground," "earthward." This direct reference underscores the wastefulness and contempt for life that could have been. It is a very descriptive and vivid term for the act of coitus interruptus with a specific negative connotation.
• lest he should give offspring to his brother (לְבִלְתִּ֞י נְתׇן־זֶ֙רַע֙ לְאָחִ֔יו - leviltī netan-zeraʻ le'achiw):
  • This explicitly states Onan's self-serving motivation, demonstrating his refusal to surrender any personal claim to inheritance or to uphold the honor and name of his deceased brother. This shows intent and highlights selfishness over duty.

Genesis 38 9 Bonus section

The concept of "seed" (zeraʻ) in the Old Testament is profoundly significant, extending far beyond biological offspring to encompass covenantal promise, lineage, and the future Messiah. Onan's refusal to give "seed" to his brother Er thus strikes at the heart of the divine plan for human history, specifically through the chosen line from which the Messiah would eventually come (a lineage that passed through Judah and ultimately through Perez, a son of Judah by Tamar, his widow). His sin can be seen as a violation of stewardship over a crucial aspect of God's redemptive historical plan. Furthermore, Onan's repeated action indicates a persistent rebellion, not a single error. His death by God's hand demonstrates that selfishly frustrating God's purpose for life and lineage, particularly in disregard for established familial and divine duty, carries grave consequences. This episode serves as a powerful reminder of God's sovereign involvement in the details of human lineage and His intolerance for self-serving disobedience that undermines His design.

Genesis 38 9 Commentary

Onan's sin, as depicted in Gen 38:9, was a profound act of disobedience and selfishness, earning him divine judgment. It was not merely about the method of contraception he employed, but the underlying contempt for God's intended design for procreation within marriage and his blatant dereliction of a sacred familial duty—the levirate obligation to raise up an heir for his deceased brother, Er. Onan understood that any child from this union would carry his brother's name and inheritance, not his own. His "spilling of semen on the ground" was a deliberate and repeated action stemming from a heart focused on personal gain and aversion to responsibility, rather than devotion to family honor or obedience to what was implicitly or explicitly expected by divine and cultural custom. This action desecrated the sanctity of the marital bed, defied the perpetuation of lineage which was crucial in the covenantal narrative, and constituted a selfish rejection of his divine calling. This defiance resulted in his death, underscoring the severity of his contempt for sacred duty and the life-giving potential ordained by God.