Genesis 38:4

4 She conceived again and had a son, and she called him Onan.

Genesis 38:4 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 38:4

And she conceived again, and bare a son
As soon as she well could: and she called his name Onan;
the first son Judah gave the name to, but his wife named this, so called from grief or sorrow; the reason of it, according to the above Targum, was,

``because his father would mourn for him;''

he was a Benoni, see ( Genesis 35:18 ) , whose sin and immature death caused sorrow.

Genesis 38:4 In-Context

2 There Y'hudah saw one of the daughters of a certain Kena'ani whose name was Shua, and he took her and slept with her.

3 She conceived and had a son, whom he named 'Er.

4 She conceived again and had a son, and she called him Onan.

5 Then she conceived yet again and had a son whom she called Shelah; he was in K'ziv when she gave birth to him.

6 Y'hudah took a wife for 'Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.