KJV King James Version
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.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Genesis 38:9
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.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
But Onan knew that the offspring would not belong to him; so whenever he would sleep with his brother’s wife, he would spill his seed on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother.
WEB World English Bible
Onan knew that the seed wouldn’t be his; and it happened, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother.
ASV American Standard Version
And Onan knew that the seed would 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.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
and Onan knoweth that the seed is not reckoned his; and it hath come to pass, if he hath gone in unto his brother’s wife, that he hath destroyed it to the earth, so as not to give seed to his brother;
Surrounding context — Genesis 38
6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name [was] Tamar.
7 And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
9 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.
10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren [did]. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.
12 And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
וַיֵּ֣דַעH3045 · ya.dato knowאוֹנָ֔ןH209 · o.nanOnanכִּ֛יH3588 · kiforלֹּ֥אH3808 · lonotל֖וֹH9033 · ohimיִהְיֶ֣הH1961 · ha.yahto beהַזָּ֑רַעH2233 · ze.raseedוְהָיָ֞הH1961 · ha.yahto beאִם־H518 · imifבָּ֨אH935 · boto come (in): comeאֶל־H413 · elto(wards)אֵ֤שֶׁתH802 · ish.shahwomanאָחִיו֙H251 · achbrother: male-siblingוְשִׁחֵ֣תH7843 · sha.chatto ruinאַ֔רְצָהH776 · e.retsland: country/planetלְבִלְתִּ֥יH1115 · bil.tilestנְתָן־H5414 · na.tanto give: giveזֶ֖רַעH2233 · ze.raseedלְאָחִֽיו׃H251 · achbrother: male-sibling
Cross-references
Titus 3:3For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, [and] hating one another.Deuteronomy 25:6And it shall be, [that] the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother [which is] dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.James 3:16For where envying and strife [is], there [is] confusion and every evil work.James 4:5Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?James 3:14But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.Ruth 4:10Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye [are] witnesses this day.Proverbs 27:4Wrath [is] cruel, and anger [is] outrageous; but who [is] able to stand before envy?Job 5:2For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.Ruth 1:11And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? [are] there yet [any more] sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
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