Genesis 38:4

4 Then she conceived again and bore a son and named * him ¹Onan.

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 Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her and went in to her.

3 So she conceived and bore a son and he named him Er.

4 Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan.

5 She bore still another son and named him Shelah; and it was at Chezib that she bore him.

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

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 46:12