Genesis 38:4

4 Again she conceived and bore a son, and she 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 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; he married her and went in to her,

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

4 Again she conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.

5 Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. She was in Chezib when she bore him.

6 And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, and her name was Tamar.