Genesis 38:4

4 And she conceived again and bore a son, and he called his name 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 And Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite there whose name [was] Shua. And he took her and went in to her.

3 And she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er.

4 And she conceived again and bore a son, and he called his name Onan.

5 And once again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. And he was in Chezib when she bore him.

6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name [was] Tamar.