Genesis 38:9
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
Now Onan knew that the child would not be his; so when he had relations with his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground so that he would not give a child to his brother.

NASB 1995
Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother.

NASB 1977
And Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so it came about that when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground, in order not to give offspring to his brother.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Onan knew that the seed would not be his; and it happened that when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted it on the ground in order not to give seed to his brother.

Amplified Bible
Onan knew that the child (heir) would not be his [but his dead brother’s]; so whenever he lay with his brother’s widow, he spilled his seed on the ground [to prevent conception], so that he would not give a child to his brother.

Christian Standard Bible
But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he released his semen on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he released his semen on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother.

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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Unan knew that the seed was not his, and when he entered on the wife of his brother he destroyed it on the ground, so that he would not raise up seed to his brother.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Aunan, knowing that the seed should not be his - it came to pass when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it upon the ground, so that he should not give seed to his brother's wife.

Contemporary English Version
Onan knew the child would not be his, and when he had sex with Tamar, he made sure that she would not get pregnant.

Douay-Rheims Bible
He knowing that the children should not be his, when he went in to his brother's wife, spilled his seed upon the ground, lest children should be born in his brother's name.

English Revised 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 he should give seed to his brother.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But Onan knew that the descendant wouldn't belong to him, so whenever he slept with his brother's widow, he wasted his semen on the ground to avoid giving his brother a descendant.

Good News Translation
But Onan knew that the children would not belong to him, so when he had intercourse with his brother's widow, he let the semen spill on the ground, so that there would be no children for his brother.

International Standard Version
But Onan knew that the offspring wouldn't be his own heir, so whenever he had sexual relations with his brother's wife, he would spill his semen on the ground to avoid fathering offspring for his brother.

JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Literal Standard Version
and Onan knows that the seed is not [reckoned] his; and it has come to pass, if he has gone in to his brother’s wife, that he has destroyed [it] to the earth, so as not to give seed to his brother;

Majority 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.

New American Bible
Onan, however, knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he had intercourse with his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground, to avoid giving offspring to his brother.

NET Bible
But Onan knew that the child would not be considered his. So whenever he had sexual relations with his brother's wife, he withdrew prematurely so as not to give his brother a descendant.

New Revised Standard Version
But since Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, he spilled his semen on the ground whenever he went in to his brother’s wife, so that he would not give offspring to his brother.

New Heart English Bible
But Onan knew that the offspring wouldn�t be his. So it happened when he slept with his brother�s wife that he released his semen on the ground, so that he would not produce offspring for his brother.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Onan knew that the seed would not be his: and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he frustrated the purpose, lest he should give seed to his brother.

World English Bible
Onan knew that the offspring wouldn’t be his; and when he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother.

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;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judah and Tamar
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. 10What he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, so He put Onan to death as well.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 25:6
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.

Genesis 38:10
What he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, so He put Onan to death as well.


Treasury of Scripture

And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.

he is.

Deuteronomy 25:6
And 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.

Ruth 1:11
And 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?

Ruth 4:10
Moreover 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.

lest that.

Job 5:2
For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.

Proverbs 27:4
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?

Titus 3:3
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

Jump to Previous
Brother's Destroyed Earth Frustrated Ground Offspring Onan Order Purpose Reckoned Seed Semen Spilled Wasted Whenever Wife Wouldn't
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Brother's Destroyed Earth Frustrated Ground Offspring Onan Order Purpose Reckoned Seed Semen Spilled Wasted Whenever Wife Wouldn't
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.














Verses 9, 10. - And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when - literally, and it was if, i.e. whenever (cf. Ewald, Hebrews Synt., § 3456) - he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground (literally, destroyed to the ground), lest that he should (or, so as not to) give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased (literally, was evil in the eyes of) the Lord: - the word Jehovah is employed not because the writer was a late interpolator, but because the sin of Onan was an offence against the sanctity and prosperity of the theocratic family (Hengstenberg) - wherefore he (i.e. Jehovah) slew him also (vide supra).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But Onan
אוֹנָ֔ן (’ō·w·nān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 209: Onan -- 'vigorous', a son of Judah

knew
וַיֵּ֣דַע (way·yê·ḏa‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

that
כִּ֛י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the offspring
הַזָּ֑רַע (haz·zā·ra‘)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

would not
לֹּ֥א‪‬ (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

belong
יִהְיֶ֣ה (yih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

to him;
ל֖וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

so whenever
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

he would sleep with
בָּ֨א (bā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

his brother’s
אָחִיו֙ (’ā·ḥîw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )

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

he would spill his seed
וְשִׁחֵ֣ת (wə·ši·ḥêṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7843: Perhaps to go to ruin

on the ground
אַ֔רְצָה (’ar·ṣāh)
Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

so that he would not
לְבִלְתִּ֥י (lə·ḇil·tî)
Preposition-l
Strong's 1115: A failure of, not, except, without, unless, besides, because not, until

produce
נְתָן־ (nə·ṯān-)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

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

for his brother.
לְאָחִֽיו׃ (lə·’ā·ḥîw)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )


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OT Law: Genesis 38:9 Onan knew that the seed wouldn't be (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 38:8
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