^38:2There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man⁴ named Shua.⁵ Judah acquired her as a wife⁶ and had marital relations with her.⁷^38:3She became pregnant⁸ and had a son. Judah named⁹ him Er. ^38:4She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan. ^38:5Then she had¹⁰ yet another son, whom she named Shelah. She gave birth to him in Kezib.¹¹

^38:6Judah acquired¹² a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. ^38:7But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him.

^38:8Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with¹³ your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise¹⁴ up a descendant for your brother.”¹⁵^38:9But Onan knew that the child¹⁶ would not be considered his.¹⁷ So whenever¹⁸ he had sexual relations with¹⁹ his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely²⁰ so as not to give his brother a descendant. ^38:10What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord²¹ killed him too.

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Footnotes

4 Heb “a man, a Canaanite.”
5 Heb “and his name was Shua.”
6 Heb “and he took her.”
7 Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
8 Or “she conceived” (also in the following verse).
9 Some read this verb as feminine, “she called,” to match the pattern of the next two verses. But the , “he called,” should probably be retained as the more difficult reading. Heb “and he called his name.” The referent (Judah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10 Heb “and she added again and she gave birth.” The first verb and the adverb emphasize that she gave birth once more.
11 Or “and he [i.e., Judah] was in Kezib when she gave birth to him.”
12 Heb “and Judah took.”
13 Heb “go to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
14 The imperative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose.
15 Raise up a descendant for your brother. The purpose of this custom, called the levirate system, was to ensure that no line of the family would become extinct. The name of the deceased was to be maintained through this custom of having a child by the nearest relative. See M. Burrows, “Levirate Marriage in Israel,” 59 (1940): 23–33.
16 Heb “offspring.”
17 Heb “would not be his,” that is, legally speaking. Under the levirate system the child would be legally considered the child of his deceased brother.
18 The construction shows that this was a repeated practice and not merely one action. The text makes it clear that the purpose of the custom was to produce an heir for the deceased brother. Onan had no intention of doing that. But he would have sex with the girl as much as he wished. He was willing to use the law to gratify his desires, but was not willing to do the responsible thing.
19 Heb “he went to.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
20 Heb “he spoiled [his semen] to the ground.” Onan withdrew prematurely and ejaculated on the ground to prevent his brother’s widow from becoming pregnant.
21 Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her, and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him.

And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. 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.” 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. And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and made love to her; she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er. She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan. She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.

Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death.

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.” 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. What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite named Shua; he took her as a wife and slept with her. She conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him Er. She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and named him Onan. She gave birth to another son and named him Shelah. It was at Chezib that she gave birth to him.

Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. Now Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the Lord’s sight, and the Lord put him to death. 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.” 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. What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so he put him to death also.

NLTNew Living Translation

There he saw a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua, and he married her. When he slept with her, she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and he named the boy Er. Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son, and she named him Onan. And when she gave birth to a third son, she named him Shelah. At the time of Shelah’s birth, they were living at Kezib.

In the course of time, Judah arranged for his firstborn son, Er, to marry a young woman named Tamar. But Er was a wicked man in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord took his life. 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.”

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. But the Lord considered it evil for Onan to deny a child to his dead brother. So the Lord took Onan’s life, too.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite there whose name was Shua. And he took her and went in to her. And she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. And she conceived again and bore a son, and he called his name Onan. And once again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. And he was in Chezib when she bore him. And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the eyes of Yahweh, and Yahweh killed him. Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to the wife of your brother and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the offspring would not be for him, so whenever he went in to the wife of his brother he would waste it on the ground so as not to give offspring to his brother. And what he did was evil in the sight of Yahweh, so he killed him also.

KJV 1900King James Version

And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her. And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan. And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him. And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. 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. And the thing which he did displeased the Lord: wherefore he slew him also.

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