Genesis 38:4

4 And again when another child was conceived, she named the child (that was) born, 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 he saw there a daughter of a man of Canaan, Shuah by name. And when he had taken her to wife, he entered [in] to her (her slept with her),

3 and she conceived, and childed a son, and (he) called his name Er.

4 And again when another child was conceived, she named the child (that was) born, Onan.

5 And she childed the third son, whom she called Shelah, and when he was born, she ceased to bear child more (she ceased to bear any more children). (And she bare her third son, whom she called Shelah, when she was at Chezib.)

6 Soothly Judah gave a wife, that was called Tamar, to his first begotten son Er.