Deep Dive

Genesis 38:10

A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →

What he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, so He put Onan to death as well.

Deep dive References (12)

Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 10

This chapter gives us an account of Judah and his family, and such an account it is that one would wonder that, of all Jacob's sons, our Lord should spring out of Judah, Heb 7:14. If we were to form a character of him by this story, we should not say, "Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise," Gen 49:8. But God will show that his choice is of grace and not of merit, and that Christ came into the world to save sinners, even the chief, and is not ashamed, upon their repentance, to be allied to them, also that the worth and worthiness of Jesus Christ are personal, of himself, and not derived from his ancestors. Humbling himself to be "made in the likeness of sinful flesh," he was pleased to descend from some that were infamous. How little reason had the Jews, who were so called from this Judah, to boast, as they did, that they were not born of fornication! Joh 8:41. We have, in this chapter, I. Judah's marriage and issue, and the untimely death of his two eldest sons (Gen 38:1-11). II. Judah's incest with his daughter-in-law Tamar, without his knowing it (Gen 38:12-23). III. His confusion, when it was discovered (Gen 38:24-26). IV. The birth of his twin sons, in whom his family was built up (Gen 38:27, etc.).

Open source ↗

Original language

The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).

Strong's Concordancev. 10

אֲשֶׁר (ʼăsher, H834) — who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because,… עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application יָרַע (yâraʻ, H3415) — properly, to be broken up (with any violent action) i.e. (figuratively) to fear עַיִן (ʻayin, H5869) — an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God מוּת (mûwth, H4191) — to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill

Open source ↗

Cross-references

Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.

Genesis 46:12rank 4

The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.

Numbers 11:1rank 4

Soon the people began to complain about their hardship in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them, His anger was kindled, and fire from the LORD blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp.

I Chronicles 21:7rank 3

This command was also evil in the sight of God; so He struck Israel.

Numbers 26:19rank 3

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

Proverbs 14:32rank 3

The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin, but the righteous man has a refuge even in death.

Proverbs 24:18rank 2

or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.

Jeremiah 44:4rank 2

Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets again and again, saying: ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate.’

II Samuel 11:27rank 2

And when the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the LORD.

Haggai 1:13rank 2

Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, delivered the message of the LORD to the people: “I am with you,” declares the LORD.

Numbers 22:34rank 1

“I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.”

Commentaries

Original language

Cross-references

Your reflection