Genesis 38:4

4 She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son, whom she named 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 Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man whose name was Shua. He married her and slept with her.

3 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son named Er.

4 She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son, whom she named Onan.

5 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son, whom she named Shelah. He was born at Kezib.

6 Judah chose a wife for his firstborn son Er. Her name was Tamar.