Genesis 38:9 meaning and explanation
But Onan knew that the offspring would not belong to him; so whenever he would sleep with his brother’s wife, he would spill his seed on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother.
Genesis 38:9, Berean Standard Bible
Explanation preview
Onan is Judah's second son, and Judah has told him to fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law by fathering a child for his dead brother Er. In that culture, the child would carry Er's name and inherit Er's share, so Onan would gain nothing.
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