Bereshis 38:4

4 And she conceived again, and bore ben; and she called shmo Onan.

Bereshis 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.

Bereshis 38:4 In-Context

2 And Yehudah saw there a bat ish Kena’ani shmo Shua; and he took her, and went in unto her.

3 She conceived, and bore ben; and he called shmo Er.

4 And she conceived again, and bore ben; and she called shmo Onan.

5 And she yet again conceived, and bore ben; and called shmo Shelah; at Keziv, when she bore him.

6 And Yehudah took a wife for Er his bechor, whose shem was Tamar.