Genesis 38:9

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

However, Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, so whenever he went in to his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to avoid producing offspring for his brother.

Additional Resources

Other Translations

  • King James Version 1769 (Standard 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 that he should give seed to his brother.

  • KJV1611 – Modern English

    But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went to his brother’s wife, he spilled his seed on the ground, to avoid giving offspring to his brother.

  • King James Version 1611 (Original)

    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.

  • American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

    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.

  • King James Version with Strong's Numbers

    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.

  • Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

    And when Onan perceaued that the seed shulde not be his: therfore when he went in to his brothers wife he spylled it on the grounde because he wold not geue seed vnto his brother.

  • Coverdale Bible (1535)

    But when Onan knewe that the sede shulde not be his owne, whan he laye with his brothers wife, he let it fall vpon the earth and destroyed it, yt he shulde not geue sede vnto his brother.

  • Geneva Bible (1560)

    And Onan knewe that the seede should not be his: therefore when he went in vnto his brothers wife, he spilled it on the grounde, least he should giue seede vnto his brother.

  • Bishops' Bible (1568)

    And when Onan perceaued that the seede shoulde not be his, therfore when he wet in to his brothers wyfe, he spylled it on the grounde, & gaue not seede vnto his brother.

  • Authorized King James Version (1611)

    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.

  • Webster's Bible (1833)

    Onan knew that the seed wouldn't be his; and it happened, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother.

  • Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

    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;

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    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.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    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.

  • Bible in Basic English (1941)

    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.

  • World English Bible (2000)

    Onan knew that the seed wouldn't be his; and it happened, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother.

  • NET Bible® (New English Translation)

    But Onan knew that the child would not be considered his. So whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he wasted his emission on the ground so as not to give his brother a descendant.

Referenced Verses

  • Deut 25:6 : 6 The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother, so that his name is not blotted out of Israel.
  • Ruth 1:11 : 11 But Naomi replied, "Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Do I still have sons in my womb who could become your husbands?
  • Ruth 4:10 : 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, as my wife in order to maintain the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the gate of his hometown. You are witnesses today.
  • Job 5:2 : 2 For anger kills the fool, and jealousy slays the simple.
  • Prov 27:4 : 4 Wrath is cruel and anger is a flood, but who can stand before jealousy?
  • Titus 3:3 : 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
  • Jas 3:14 : 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast and deny the truth.
  • Jas 3:16 : 16 For where there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.
  • Jas 4:5 : 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit God caused to dwell in us longs jealously for us?

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Gen 38:7-8
    2 verses
    87%

    7But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight, so the LORD put him to death.

    8Then Judah said to Onan, 'Lie with your brother's widow, perform your duty as her brother-in-law, and produce offspring for your brother.'

  • Gen 38:10-11
    2 verses
    80%

    10What he did was wicked in the LORD's sight, so the LORD put him to death also.

    11Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, 'Live as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up,' for he thought, 'He might die too, just like his brothers.' So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.

  • Gen 38:3-4
    2 verses
    76%

    3She conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him Er.

    4She conceived again and gave birth to another son, and she named him Onan.

  • Lev 20:20-21
    2 verses
    73%

    20If a man lies with his aunt, he has uncovered his uncle's nakedness. They shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.

    21If a man marries his brother's wife, it is impurity. He has uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless.

  • Deut 25:5-7
    3 verses
    72%

    5If brothers live together and one of them dies without a son, the dead man's wife must not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her brother-in-law is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her.

    6The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother, so that his name is not blotted out of Israel.

    7But if the man does not wish to marry his brother's widow, she shall go to the elders at the city gate and say, 'My brother-in-law is refusing to perform his duty to preserve his brother's name in Israel. He is unwilling to marry me.'

  • Num 26:19
    72%

    19The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

  • Gen 19:31-35
    5 verses
    70%

    31The older daughter said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man in the land to marry us in the customary way of the entire earth.

    32"Come, let us get our father to drink wine and sleep with him so that we can preserve our family line through our father."

    33That night, they made their father drink wine, and the older daughter went in and lay with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.

    34The next day, the older daughter said to the younger, "Last night I lay with my father. Let’s make him drink wine again tonight, and you go in and lie with him so we can preserve our family line through him."

    35So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and lay with him. Again, he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.

  • Lev 18:16
    70%

    16Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would dishonor your brother.

  • Gen 38:15-16
    2 verses
    70%

    15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, because she had covered her face.

    16He turned aside to her by the roadside and said, 'Come now, let me sleep with you.' He did not know she was his daughter-in-law. She asked, 'What will you give me to sleep with you?'

  • 1 Chr 2:3
    70%

    3The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, and Shelah. These three were born to him by Bath-shua, the Canaanite. However, Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD, and He put him to death.

  • Mark 12:19-21
    3 verses
    70%

    19'Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife but no children, the man should marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.'

    20'Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died, leaving no children.'

    21'The second brother married her and also died, leaving no children. The same happened to the third, and likewise to all seven.'

  • Lev 15:16
    70%

    16If a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his entire body with water, and he will remain unclean until evening.

  • Deut 25:9
    70%

    9then his brother's widow shall approach him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, spit in his face, and declare, 'This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother's family line.'

  • Matt 22:25
    69%

    25Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother.

  • Gen 38:23-24
    2 verses
    68%

    23Judah said, 'Let her keep what she has, or we will become a laughingstock. After all, I sent her this young goat, but you didn’t find her.'

    24About three months later, Judah was told, 'Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant as a result.' Judah said, 'Bring her out and let her be burned!'

  • Gen 38:26
    68%

    26Judah recognized them and said, 'She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.' And he did not have relations with her again.

  • Deut 28:30
    68%

    30You will become engaged to a woman, but another man will violate her. You will build a house, but you will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will not enjoy its fruit.

  • Num 5:13
    68%

    13and another man has sexual relations with her secretly, and it is hidden from her husband, and she is not caught but has become defiled, even though there is no witness against her,

  • Deut 22:9
    67%

    9Do not plant two kinds of seeds in your vineyard, or the entire harvest, both the crop you plant and the fruit of the vineyard, will be forfeited.

  • Luke 20:28-29
    2 verses
    67%

    28'Teacher,' they said, 'Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but has no children, the man should marry the widow to raise up offspring for his brother.'

    29Now there were seven brothers. The first married a wife and died childless.

  • Lev 18:14
    67%

    14Do not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt.

  • Num 27:9-10
    2 verses
    67%

    9If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers.

    10If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

  • 2 Sam 14:7
    67%

    7Now the whole family has risen against your servant. They say, 'Hand over the one who killed his brother so that we may put him to death for taking his brother’s life. We want to destroy the heir as well.' They will extinguish my remaining ember, leaving neither name nor remnant for my husband on the earth.

  • Gen 38:18
    66%

    18He asked, 'What pledge should I give you?' She answered, 'Your seal and its cord, and the staff in your hand.' So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she conceived by him.

  • Num 5:28
    66%

    28But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, she will be cleared of guilt and will be able to conceive children.

  • Ezek 18:11
    66%

    11even though the father did none of them: He eats at the mountain shrines, defiles his neighbor’s wife,