Genesis 38:4 — Word Study
WLCוַתַּ֥הַר ע֖וֹד וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־ שְׁמ֖וֹ אוֹנָֽן׃
BSAAgainʻôwd [once more, still] she conceivedhârâh▸ [became pregnant, to conceive or become pregnant] and gave birth toyâlad▸ [to beget, brought forth] a sonbên [a male child, descendant] and she namedqârâʼ▸ [to call out to someone or something, called] himshêm OnanʼÔwnân [a son of Judah]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַתַּ֥הַר | and she conceived | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person feminine singular |
| ע֖וֹד | again | Adv |
| וַתֵּ֣לֶד | and she bore | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person feminine singular |
| בֵּ֑ן | a son | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וַתִּקְרָ֥א | and she called | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person feminine singular |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| שְׁמ֖וֹ | name his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| אוֹנָֽן׃ | Onan | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Onan. |
| KJV | And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan. |
| ASV | And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan. |
| YLT | and she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Onan; |
| WEB | She conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan. |
| BBE | And again she gave birth to a son, and he gave him the name Onan. |
Translations agree on the actions of conceiving, giving birth, and naming, with no significant differences noted.
The sentence structure emphasizes the sequence of actions taken by Tamar, with each clause building on the previous one.
3 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָרָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Genesis 38:4
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Family of Judahgenerated
Genesis 38:4 describes Tamar's continued efforts to bear children for Judah's lineage, emphasizing the importance of family and inheritance in biblical narratives. This verse follows the birth of her first son, Er, and sets the stage for the birth of Onan, illustrating the dynamics of Judah's family during this period. The context shows Tamar's determination to fulfill her role within the family structure, as seen in the subsequent verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 46:12 | The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul. |
| 2 | Numbers 26:19 | The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but they died in the land of Canaan. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הָרָה, va.Ta.hargenerated
The verb הָרָה (*harah*) means to conceive or become pregnant, indicating the beginning of new life. It is used in various contexts throughout the Bible to describe both literal and figurative conception, including the miraculous births of key biblical figures.
In this verse, it is in the sequential imperfect form, showing that the action of conceiving is part of a series of events in Tamar's life. This word highlights the continuation of her role in Judah's lineage.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses gave birth and named, consistent with other translations like the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb וַתַּ֥הַר, and she conceived, governs the verse, with three clauses following it: an infinitive phrase for what she did, a noun phrase for the son born, and a verb phrase for the naming.
The structure reflects a sequence of actions, emphasizing the continuity of Tamar's efforts to bear children, which is central to the narrative.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates הָרָה as συλλαβοῦσα, which means 'having conceived.' This choice highlights the act of conception as a significant event.
This translation aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may carry a slightly different emphasis on the process of becoming pregnant.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Genesis 38:4 tells us that Tamar conceived again and gave birth to a son, whom she named Onan. This verse is part of the story of Judah and Tamar, showing Tamar's role in ensuring the continuation of Judah's family line.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies her continued efforts to bear children for Judah, which was crucial for family lineage.
Onan was Tamar's second son, mentioned in this verse, who later plays a significant role in the continuation of Judah's family.
In the Bible, naming signifies identity and purpose, reflecting the character and destiny of the individual.
It highlights the importance of lineage and the role of women in ensuring the continuation of family lines.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What role do you think Tamar played in the family dynamics of Judah?
- How does the act of naming reflect the identity of a child in biblical culture?
- What significance does the continuation of lineage have in the context of the Bible?
- In what ways can we see the importance of family in our own lives today?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Genesis 38:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd 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;
Read John Gill on Genesis 38 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 38 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsGenesis 38:4 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.Ver. 4. She called.] Shush named her two latter children; the one it is like by the licence, the other by the absence of her husband.
Read John Trapp on Genesis 38 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Onan.
She conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan.
Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Onan.
She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan.
Tyndale line
And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.
And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.
And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.
And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she called his name Onan.
And she conceiued againe, and bare a sonne, and she called his name Onan.
Strictly literal
And she again conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.
and she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Onan;
and she conceives again, and bears a son, and calls his name Onan;
And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she called his name Onan.
She became pregnant again and had a son. She called his name Onan.
From the Latin
And conceiving again, she bore a son, and called him Onan.
Simplified
She became pregnant again and had a son she named Onan.
And again she gave birth to a son, and he gave him the name Onan.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch agree word for word on this verse, indicating a strong consistency in the transmission of this part of the narrative.
וַתַּ֥הַר ע֖וֹד וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־ שְׁמ֖וֹ אוֹנָֽן׃
7 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ותהר עוד ותלד בן ותקרא את שׁמו אונן
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Genesis 38:4
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word הָרָה (*harah*) primarily means to conceive or become pregnant, as noted in various lexicons. It can refer to both literal and figurative conception, and includes nuances such as bearing a child or devising something. The entries also indicate different grammatical forms, including Qal, Pual, and Poel, which reflect various aspects of the root meaning.
הָרָה vb. conceive, become pregnant
Qal
lit. conceive, become pregnant
metaph.
Pu. a man hath been conceived
Po. conceive, contrive, devise
base
H2029 הָרָה conceive, become pregnant
2029 harah haw-raw'
a primitive root; to be (or become) pregnant, conceive
(literally or figuratively):--been, be with child, conceive,
progenitor.
הָרָה (ha.rah) — to conceive.
1) to conceive, become pregnant, bear, be with child, be conceived, progenitor
1a)(Qal) to conceive, become pregnant
1b) (Pual) to be conceived
1c) (Poel) to conceive, contrive, devise
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singularHc/Vqw3fs
עוֹד (owd) primarily denotes a sense of iteration or continuance, functioning mostly as an adverb meaning 'still,' 'yet,' or 'again.' It can also imply addition or repetition, as in 'more' or 'besides.' The word appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing persistence or continuation.
עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides
base
H5750 עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides
5750 `owd ode
or rod {ode}; from 5749; properly, iteration or continuance;
used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again,
repeatedly, still, more:--again, X all life long, at all,
besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer,
(any) more(-over), X once, since, (be) still, when, (good,
the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet
(within).
see HEBREW for 05749
עוֹד (od) — still.
subst
1) a going round, continuance
adv
2) still, yet, again, besides
2a) still, yet (of continuance or persistence)
2b) still, yet, more (of addition or repetition)
2c) again
2d) still, moreover, besides
Aramaic equivalent: od (עוֹד "still" H5751)
Adv — AdvHAcmsa
a-gen': Advb. denoting repetition; in New Testament, generally for palin, "back," "once more." Occasionally, it has the force of a connective, synonymous with "moreover," as in Ro 15:10 ff; 1Co 3:20, etc. The expression "born again" of the King James Version, Joh 3:3,7; 1Pe 1:23, translating the Greek "anothen" and "ana" in composition, becomes in the Revised Version (British and American) "anew," i.e. "over again." As these particles mean "from above" and "up," their use as indicating repetition is sometimes disputed, but without further foundation than that "again" does not exhaust the meaning.
The Hebrew word יָלַד (*yalad*) means to bear, bring forth, or beget, and it encompasses various forms of childbirth and lineage declaration. It can refer to both the act of giving birth and the role of a midwife. The entries also note its use in contexts of distress and wicked behavior, as well as in reference to birthdays.
יָלַד 497 vb. bear, bring forth, beget
Qal
bear, bring forth
less often beget
of both parents
Niph. be born
Pi. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife
Pu. be born
Hiph.
beget (a father a child)
bear
Hoph. day of one's being born = birthday
Hithp. declared their pedigree
base
H3205 יָלַד bear, bring forth, beget .. bear, bring forth
. less often beget
. of both parents
. be born
. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife
. be born
. . beget (a father a child)
. bear
. day of one's being born = birthday
. declared their pedigree
3205 yalad yaw-lad'
a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget;
medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show
lineage:--bear, beget, birth((-day)), born, (make to) bring
forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be
delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch,
labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be
the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).
יָלַד (ya.lad) — to beget.
1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to bear, bring forth
1a1a) of child birth
1a1b) of distress (simile)
1a1c) of wicked (behaviour)
1a2) to beget
1b) (Niphal) to be born
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to cause or help to bring forth
1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife
1c3) midwife (participle)
1d) (Pual) to be born
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to beget (a child)
1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity)
1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive)
1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singularHc/Vqw3fs
bor: According to the Book of the Covenant (Ex 20:20-23:33) a slave whom his master had purchased was to be released after six years. Should he choose to remain in his master's service a religious ceremony was necessary to ratify his decision. "Then his master shall bring him unto God" (better than "unto the judges" of the King James Version), "and shall bring him to the door, or unto the doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl" (Ex 21:6). It is highly improbable that "unto God" means "to a sanctuary"; for there was no special reason for performing this ceremony near the door of a sanctuary. On the other hand the entrance to a private house was a sacred spot. According to primitive thinking near the door dwelt the household gods whose function it was to…
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
The term "son" is used in Scripture language to imply almost any kind of descent or succession, as ben shanah , "son of a year," i.e. a year old; ben kesheth , "son of a bow," i.e. an arrow. The word bar is often found in the New Testament in composition, as Bar-timaeus.
Sometimes denotes a grandson, or any remote descendant, Ge 29:5 2Sa 19:24. At other times a son by adoption is meant, Ge 48:5; or by law, Ru 4:17; or by education, 1Sa 3:6 20:35; or by conversion, as Titus was Paul’s "son father the common faith," Tit 1:4. And again it denotes a mental or moral resemblance, etc., Jud 19:22 Ps 89:6 Isa 57:3 Ac 13:10. In a…
→ FIGURATIVE
Of a person' s relation to God Ex 4:22
See ADOPTION
See GOD, FATHERHOOD OF
See JESUS, SON OF GOD
See JESUS, SON OF MAN
The Hebrew word קָרָא (qara') is a primitive root meaning to call, proclaim, or read. It encompasses a range of actions including calling out, crying for help, reading aloud, and summoning. The word can also imply being called or named in various contexts. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
קָרָא 724 vb. call, proclaim, read
Qal
call, cry, utter a loud sound
call, cry
call unto some one
cry for help
proclaim
read aloud
read to oneself
summon
call = name
Niph.
reflex.
pass. be called
Pu. be called
base
H7121 קָרָא call, proclaim, read .. . call, cry, utter a loud sound
. call, cry
. . call unto some one
. cry for help
. proclaim
. . read aloud
. read to oneself
. summon
. call = name
. . reflex.
. pass. be called
. be called
7121 qara' kaw-raw'
a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea
of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly,
address by name, but used in a wide variety of
applications):--bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for,
forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite,
mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(- ation),
pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.
see HEBREW for 07122
קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call to.
: call_to/invite/entreat
1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound
1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)
1a3) to proclaim
1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read
1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow
1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to call oneself
1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named
1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen
קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call by.
: call_by/name
1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound
1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)
1a3) to proclaim
1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine singularHc/Vqw3fs
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
שֵׁם (shem) means 'name' and encompasses various meanings such as reputation, fame, and glory. It can refer to the designation of God and is often associated with memorials or monuments. The word is built from a primitive root and highlights individuality and honor. There is a mention of its use in relation to false gods, which is forbidden.
שֵׁם 864 n.m. name (√ unknown)
of river, beasts, city, i.e. exact designation of it
usu. of pers.
= reputation
esp. as giving a man a kind of posthumous life, esp. in his sons
name, as designation of God
of false gods, use forbidden
= memorial, monument
base
H8034 שֵׁם name (√ unknown)
8034 shem shame
a primitive word (perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea
of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064); an
appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by
implication honor, authority, character:--+ base,
(in-)fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.
see HEBREW for 07760
see HEBREW for 08064
שֵׁם (shem) — name.
1) name
1a) name
1b) reputation, fame, glory
1c) the Name (as designation of God)
1d) memorial, monument
Aramaic equivalent: shum (שֻׁם "name" H8036)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms
אוֹנָן (Ownan) refers to Onan, a son of Judah, noted for his strength. He is mentioned in Genesis 38:4 and is described as the second son of Judah, who was punished by God for not fulfilling his duty to produce an heir for his deceased brother. The name itself suggests vigor.
אוֹנָן n.pr.m. (vigorous) son of Judah
base
H209 אוֹנָן (vigorous) son of Judah
209 'Ownan o-nawn'
a variation of 207; strong; Onan, a son of Judah:--Onan.
see HEBREW for 0207
אוֹנָן (o.nan) — Onan.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.38.4;
son of: Judah (H3063) and Bath-shua (H1323I) ;
brother of: Er (H6147) and Shelah (H7956);
half-brother of: Perez (H6557) and Zerah (H2226I)
§ Onan = "strong"
second son of Judah, slain by God for not fulfilling the levitical requirement to beget a child with the wife of a dead, childless brother
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
o'-nan ('onan, "vigorous"; compare ONAM, a "son" of Judah (Ge 38:4,8-10; 46:12; Nu 26:19; 1Ch 2:3); "The story of the untimely death of Er and Onan implies that two of the ancient clans of Judah early disappeared" (Curtis, Chron, 84). See Skinner, Gen, 452, where it is pointed out that in Ge 38:11 Judah plainly attributes the death of his sons in some way to Tamar herself. The name is allied to Onam.
Onan
Strong, the second son of Judah (Gen. 38:4-10; comp. Deut. 25:5; Matt. 22:24). He died before the going down of Jacob and his family into Egypt.
(strong), the second son of Judah by the Canaanitess, "the daughter of Shua." (Genesis 38:4; 1 Chronicles 2:3) "What he did was evil in the eyes of Jehovah and he slew him also, as he had slain his elder brother. (Genesis 38:9) His death took place before the family of Jacob went down into Egypt. (Genesis 46:12; Numbers 26:19) (B.C. 1706.)