Key Verse Spotlight
Genesis 38:8 — Meaning and Application
King James Version
“And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.”
Genesis 38:8
Verse in Context
Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:
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. {displeased...: Heb. was evil in the eyes of the Lord}
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