Genesis 38:6-10 Meaning: God's Justice
6Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
7Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in Yahweh’s sight. So Yahweh killed him.
8Judah 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.”
9Onan 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.
10The thing which he did was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and he killed him also.
6And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.
7And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him.
8And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
9And 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.
10And the thing which he did displeased the Lord: wherefore he slew him also.
6And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, and her name was Tamar.
7And Er, Judah’s first-born, was wicked in the sight of Jehovah; and Jehovah slew him.
8And 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.
9And 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.
10And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and he slew him also.
6And Judah taketh a wife for Er, his first-born, and her name is Tamar;
7and Er, Judah's first-born, is evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and Jehovah doth put him to death.
8And Judah saith to Onan, `Go in unto the wife of thy brother, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother;'
9and 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;
10and that which he hath done is evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and He putteth him also to death.
6And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
7And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah slew him.
8Then Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and fulfil to her the brother-in-law's duty, and raise up seed to thy brother.
9But when Onan knew that the seed should not be his own, it came to pass when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled [it] on the ground, in order to give no seed to his brother.
10And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and he slew him also.
Meaning in one sentence
Tamar is introduced as Er's wife, but both he and Onan die for wickedness. This devotion explores God's justice and the hidden sins He sees.
Context
This passage sits inside the larger story of Judah, one of Jacob’s twelve sons. Earlier in Genesis, Judah had separated from his brothers and married a Canaanite woman. By the time we reach chapter 38, he has three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. The story you are reading begins with Judah finding a wife for his firstborn, Er. Her name is Tamar.
But Er is described as wicked in God’s eyes, and God takes his life. Then Judah turns to his second son, Onan, and tells him to perform the duty of a brother-in-law: marry Tamar and raise up a child that will carry on Er’s name. Onan refuses, sabotaging the act. This too is evil in God’s sight, and Onan dies as well.
What follows in later verses becomes a turning point. Tamar, left vulnerable and cheated of her rights, will take bold action. But here we see the beginning of a hard lesson about how seriously God treats hidden disobedience.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words carry the weight of this short passage.
The word for Er’s wickedness in verse 7 is ra (H7451). It is the same word used to describe the men of Sodom. It is not a minor flaw. The text says Er was wicked in Yahweh’s sight, a phrase that suggests a deep, deliberate rebellion. God saw what others may not have seen, and He responded.
In verse 8, Judah uses a rare verb for Onan’s duty: yavam (H2992). It means to act as a brother-in-law by marrying a widow and raising up offspring for the deceased. This custom, later codified in Deuteronomy 25, was rooted in compassion and family loyalty. It was about giving a dead man a future through a child who would carry his name.
Then verse 9 uses the verb shachat (H7843) for what Onan did. It means to ruin or destroy. He did not just avoid fatherhood; he actively ruined the possibility of life for his brother’s line. This was a calculated act of selfishness. God’s judgment matches the seriousness of the crime.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have wrestled with this passage, especially with the nature of Onan’s sin.
Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, argued that Onan’s sin was not self-pollution but his refusal to raise up seed for his brother. Calvin called it a “horrible thing” to pour out seed deliberately, a double horror because it destroyed the hope of a family. Many later Protestant commentators, such as Matthew Henry, see Onan’s action as a calculated attempt to cheat his brother’s memory and keep the inheritance for himself.
In Catholic tradition, the act has been seen as a violation of the natural purpose of sexuality, a point quoted in later moral teaching about the dignity of life. In Jewish interpretation, the focus is often on the breach of the levirate duty, a failure of covenantal responsibility.
All these readings share a common thread: God sees the heart. Onan obeyed the outward form but withheld the full commitment.
A common misunderstanding
The most common misreading is that Onan’s sin was masturbation. Many people have heard the term “onanism” used that way. In fact, the text never says that. Onan’s sin was a calculated refusal to do his duty. He was willing to sleep with Tamar but only on his own terms. He deliberately prevented pregnancy so his brother would have no heir. It was a crime of selfishness against his family and against God, not a private vice about self-gratification.
Living This Out
This passage asks you to look at your own hidden refusals. Are there duties you fulfil on the outside while holding back your heart? Perhaps it is a responsibility at work, caring for an aging parent, or a promise you made long ago. You may be doing the minimum, but God sees the motive.
This week, pick one relationship where you know you are holding back. Ask God to show you the fear or pride underneath. Then take one step toward giving fully, not just your time, but your heart. Onan’s story warns us that half-hearted obedience is still disobedience. God offers a better way: whole love.
Main takeaway: God sees not only our actions but the motives behind them, and He defends the vulnerable who are wronged in secret.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God wants us to be kind to our family. Onan was not kind to his brother. God saw what he did and was sad. We can always choose to be helpful.
For ages 9, 12
Onan was supposed to take care of his brother’s wife and keep his brother’s name alive. But he was selfish and only thought about himself. God knows when we are not being fair, even if no one else sees. He made us to love and help our families, even when it is hard. This story reminds us that God cares about how we treat the people He puts in our lives.
Questions People Ask
Why did God kill Er and Onan?
The text says Er was wicked in God’s sight, though it does not specify his exact sin. Onan was killed because he refused to honor the levirate duty, he deliberately avoided giving his brother an heir by spilling his seed. Both brothers showed a pattern of rebellion that God judged.
Is Onan’s sin only about contraception?
No. While the act prevented conception, the core issue was Onan’s selfish refusal to fulfil his family duty. He was willing to sleep with Tamar but not to give her a child that would carry his brother’s name. It was a breach of trust, love, and justice.
What is the levirate marriage law?
It is the custom described here and later commanded in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. If a married man died without children, his brother was to marry the widow. The firstborn son of that union would be considered the dead brother’s heir, preserving his name and inheritance.
Why is this story in the Bible?
This episode is part of the larger story of Judah, who is an ancestor of King David and ultimately of Jesus Christ. The struggle over Tamar’s right to have children leads to the birth of Perez, who appears in Matthew 1:3 as a link in Jesus’ genealogy. It shows God working through flawed people to fulfil His promises.
Who was Tamar?
Tamar was Er’s wife and later became the mother of Judah’s twins, Perez and Zerah. Her name means “palm tree.” She is one of only five women named in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus. In a world where widows had few rights, she took bold action to secure her place in God’s story.
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