Genesis 38:8
New International Version
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.”

New Living Translation
Then Judah said to Er’s brother Onan, “Go and marry Tamar, as our law requires of the brother of a man who has died. You must produce an heir for your brother.”

English Standard Version
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.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and raise up offspring for your brother.”

King James Bible
And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

New King James Version
And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.”

New American Standard Bible
Then Judah said to Onan, “Have relations with your brother’s wife and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up a child for your brother.”

NASB 1995
Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.”

NASB 1977
Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up a seed for your brother.”

Amplified Bible
Then Judah told Onan, “Go in to your brother’s widow, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law [under the levirate marriage custom]; [be her husband and] raise children for [the name of] your brother.”

Christian Standard Bible
Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and produce offspring for your brother.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and produce offspring for your brother.”

American Standard Version
And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother unto her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

Contemporary English Version
So Judah told Onan, "It's your duty to marry Tamar and have a child for your brother."

English Revised Version
And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Judah said to Onan, "Go sleep with your brother's widow. Do your duty for her as a brother-in-law, and produce a descendant for your brother."

Good News Translation
Then Judah said to Er's brother Onan, "Go and sleep with your brother's widow. Fulfill your obligation to her as her husband's brother, so that your brother may have descendants."

International Standard Version
So Judah instructed Onan, "You are to have sexual relations with your dead brother's wife, performing the duty of a brother-in-law with her, and have offspring for your brother."

Majority Standard Bible
Then Judah said to Onan, ?Sleep with your brother?s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and raise up offspring for your brother.?

NET Bible
Then Judah said to Onan, "Have sexual relations with your brother's wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise up a descendant for your brother."

New Heart English Bible
Then Judah said to Onan, "Sleep with your brother?s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

World English Bible
Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Judah says to Onan, “Go in to the wife of your brother, and marry her, and raise up seed to your brother”;

Young's Literal Translation
And Judah saith to Onan, 'Go in unto the wife of thy brother, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother;'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Judah will say to Onan, go in to thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Juda, therefore add to Onan his son: Go in to thy brother's wife and marry her, that thou mayst raise seed to thy brother.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, Judah said to his son Onan: “Enter to the wife of your brother, and associate with her, so that you may raise offspring to your brother.”

New American Bible
Then Judah said to Onan, “Have intercourse with your brother’s wife, in fulfillment of your duty as brother-in-law, and thus preserve your brother’s line.”

New Revised Standard Version
Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her; raise up offspring for your brother.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And 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 an offspring to your brother.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Yehuda said to Unan his son, “Go in unto the wife of your brother and do the part of a brother, and raise up seed to your brother.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Judah said unto Onan: 'Go in unto thy brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother unto her, and raise up seed to thy brother.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Judas said to Aunan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and marry her as her brother-in-law, and raise up seed to thy brother.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judah and Tamar
7But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; so the LORD put him to death. 8Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9But 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.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 25:5-6
When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for her. / The first son she bears will carry on the name of the dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.

Ruth 4:5-10
Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi and also from Ruth the Moabitess, you must also acquire the widow of the deceased in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.” / The kinsman-redeemer replied, “I cannot redeem it myself, or I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I cannot redeem it.” / Now in former times in Israel, concerning the redemption or exchange of property, to make any matter legally binding a man would remove his sandal and give it to the other party, and this was a confirmation in Israel. ...

Matthew 22:24
“Teacher,” they said, “Moses declared that if a man dies without having children, his brother is to marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.

Mark 12:19
“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him.

Luke 20:28
“Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him.

Numbers 27:8-11
Furthermore, you shall say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, you are to transfer his inheritance to his daughter. / If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. / If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. ...

Leviticus 18:16
You must not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would shame your brother.

Leviticus 20:21
If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is an act of impurity. He has uncovered the nakedness of his brother; they shall be childless.

1 Corinthians 7:39
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.

1 Timothy 5:14
So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.

1 Chronicles 2:34-35
Sheshan had no sons, but only daughters. He also had an Egyptian servant named Jarha. / Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to his servant Jarha, and she bore to him Attai.

1 Chronicles 23:22
Eleazar died without having any sons; he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.

Matthew 1:3
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.

Ruth 1:11-13
But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb to become your husbands? / Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, / would you wait for them to grow up? Would you refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, it is much more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.”

Galatians 4:4-5
But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, / to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.


Treasury of Scripture

And Judah said to Onan, Go in to your brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to your brother.

A.

Leviticus 18:16
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness.

Numbers 36:8,9
And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers…

Deuteronomy 25:5-10
If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her…

Jump to Previous
Brother-In-Law Brother's Duty Fulfil Fulfill Husband's Judah Marry Offspring Onan Perform Produce Raise Right Seed Wife
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Brother-In-Law Brother's Duty Fulfil Fulfill Husband's Judah Marry Offspring Onan Perform Produce Raise Right Seed Wife
Genesis 38
1. Judah begets Er, Onan, and Shelah.
6. Er's marriage with Tamar, and death.
8. The trespass of Onan.
11. Tamar is reserved for Shelah.
12. Judah's wife dies.
13. Tamar deceives Judah.
27. She bears twins, Pharez and Zarah.














Then Judah said to Onan
This phrase introduces us to the patriarch Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, and his son Onan. Judah's role as a father and leader is significant in the narrative of Genesis. Historically, Judah is a central figure in the lineage of the Israelites, and his actions often reflect the customs and laws of the time. The mention of Onan sets the stage for a pivotal moment in the family lineage, highlighting the importance of family duty and legacy in ancient Israelite culture.

Sleep with your brother’s wife
The directive given by Judah to Onan is rooted in the ancient practice of levirate marriage, a custom where a man is obligated to marry his deceased brother's widow to produce offspring in his brother's name. This practice is later codified in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. The Hebrew term for this practice is "yibbum," emphasizing the importance of preserving the family line and inheritance. This phrase underscores the cultural and familial responsibilities that were paramount in ancient societies, where lineage and inheritance were crucial for survival and identity.

and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law
The concept of duty here is deeply embedded in the social and religious fabric of the time. The Hebrew word "yabam" refers to the act of performing the duty of a brother-in-law. This duty was not merely a personal obligation but a communal expectation to ensure the continuation of the family name and property. It reflects the collective responsibility within the family unit, where individual actions had broader implications for the community and future generations.

to raise up offspring for your brother
The ultimate goal of the levirate marriage was to "raise up offspring" for the deceased brother, ensuring that his name and legacy would not be forgotten. In the Hebrew context, the word "zera" (offspring) carries the connotation of seed, symbolizing both physical descendants and the continuation of the family line. This phrase highlights the theological and cultural significance of progeny in the biblical narrative, where children are seen as a blessing and a means of fulfilling God's promises to His people. The emphasis on raising offspring for the brother underscores the selfless nature of the duty, prioritizing the deceased brother's legacy over personal gain.

(8) Go in unto thy brother's wife.--We learn from this that the law of the Levirate, by which the brother of the dead husband was required to marry the widow, was of far more ancient date than the law of Moses. Its object, first of all, was to prevent the extinction of any line of descent, a matter of great importance in those genealogical days; and, secondly, it was an obstacle to the accumulation of landed property in few hands, as the son first born after the Levirate marriage inherited the property of his deceased uncle, while the second son was the representative of the real father. A similar custom existed in parts of India, Persia, &c, and prevails now among the Mongols. The Mosaic Law did not institute, but regulated the custom, confining such marriages to cases where the deceased brother had died without children, and permitting the brother to refuse to marry the widow, under a penalty, nevertheless, of disgrace. Onan, by refusing to take Tamar, may have been actuated by the selfish motive of obtaining for himself the rights of primogeniture, which would otherwise have gone to his eldest son, as the heir of his uncle 'Er.

Verse 8. - And Judah said unto Onan (obviously after a sufficient interval), Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, - literally, and perform the part of levir, or husband's brother, to her. The language seems to imply that what was afterwards in the code Mosaic known as the Lex Leviratus (Deuteronomy 25:5, 6) was at this time a recognized custom. The existence of the practice has been traced in different frames among Indians, Persians, and other nations of Asia and Africa - and raise up seed to thy brother. As afterwards explained in the Hebrew legislation, the first. born son of such a Levirate marriage became in the eye of the law the child of the deceased husband, and was regarded as his heir.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Judah
יְהוּדָה֙ (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

said
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to Onan,
לְאוֹנָ֔ן (lə·’ō·w·nān)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 209: Onan -- 'vigorous', a son of Judah

“Sleep with
בֹּ֛א (bō)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

your brother’s
אָחִ֖יךָ (’ā·ḥî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )

wife.
אֵ֥שֶׁת (’ê·šeṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

Perform your duty as her brother-in-law
וְיַבֵּ֣ם (wə·yab·bêm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 2992: To perform the duty of a husband's brother

and raise up
וְהָקֵ֥ם (wə·hā·qêm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

offspring
זֶ֖רַע (ze·ra‘)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

for your brother.”
לְאָחִֽיךָ׃ (lə·’ā·ḥî·ḵā)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )


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OT Law: Genesis 38:8 Judah said to Onan Go (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 38:7
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