Genesis 38:9
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.
Genesis 38:9 in other translations
| BSB | 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. |
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| WEB | 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. |
| ASV | 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. |
| YLT | 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; |
| DARBY | But 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. |
| BBE | But Onan, seeing that the offspring would not be his, went in to his brother's wife, but let his seed go on to the earth, so that he might not get offspring for his brother. |
| Webster | 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. |
What does Genesis 38:9 mean?
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Genesis 38:9 in the original Hebrew
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Genesis 38:9
- James 4:5
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
- 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.
- James 3:16
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
- 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.
- 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?
- James 3:14
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
- 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.
- 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?
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Genesis 38:8
And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
- Genesis 38:9
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.
- Genesis 38:10
And the thing which he did displeased the Lord: wherefore he slew him also.
Genesis 38:9 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y sabiendo Onán que la simiente no había de ser suya, sucedía que cuando entraba á la mujer de su hermano vertía en tierra, por no dar simiente á su hermano. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Et Onan savait que la semence ne serait pas à lui; et il arriva que lorsqu’il entra vers la femme de son frère, il perdit sur la terre, pour ne pas donner de semence à son frère. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Da aber Onan wußte, daß der Same nicht sein eigen sein sollte, so geschah es, wenn er zu dem Weibe seines Bruders einging, daß er ihn verderbte zur Erde, um seinem Bruder keinen Samen zu geben. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Ille sciens non sibi nasci filios, introiens ad uxorem fratris sui, semen fundebat in terram, ne liberi fratris nomine nascerentur. |