8
Judahיְהוּדָהsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto Onan,לְאוֹנָן“Go inבֹּאtoאֶלyour brother’sאָחִיךָwifeאֵשֶׁתand perform the duty of a brother-in-lawוְיַבֵּםto her,אֹתָהּand raise upוְהָקֵםoffspringזֶרַעfor your brother.”לְאָחִיךָ
Genesis 38:8
Study it in the app“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.””
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 38:8, word by word
- Judahיְהוּדָהyehuda
Judah
Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah; also the tribe that came from him and its land, and later the southern kingdom; King David came from it. The name sounds like "give thanks". Borne also by other Israelites.
Where else “yehuda” appears- saidיֹּאמֶרyomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomer” appears- to Onanאוֹנָןonan
Onan
Onan, the second son of Judah.
Where else “onan” appears- “Go inבֹּאbo
come
To come, arrive: "days are coming".
Where else “bo” appears- your brother’sאָחִיachi
brother
A son of the same father or the same mother.
Where else “achi” appears- wifeאֵשֶׁתeshet
wife
Literally "his woman": the one married to him.
Where else “eshet” appears- and perform the duty of a brother-in-lawיַבֵּםyabem
perform levirate duty
Do the duty of a brother-in-law: marry the widow of a brother who died childless, to give him offspring.
Where else “yabem” appears- and raise upהָקֵםhakem
establish
To put something up, or confirm a covenant.
Where else “hakem” appears- offspringזֶרַעzera
offspring
The children, grandchildren and whole line that come from someone.
Where else “zera” appears
Translation note
The brother of a man who died without sons was to take the widow, and the first son counted as the son of the dead man (Deuteronomy 25:5-6).
The context
7But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the eyes of YHWH, and YHWH put him to death.
8 · This verse (above)
9But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted it on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother.
To study Genesis 38 in a group
1. What it says
What did Tamar do, and what did Judah say when he learned of it (vv. 14-26)?
2. What it means
What does it mean that Judah admits, “She is more righteous than I” (v. 26)?
3. How I live it
How can you honestly admit your own mistake when it is shown to you?