The Meaning of Genesis 38:8 Explained

Genesis 38:8

KJV: And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

YLT: And Judah saith to Onan, 'Go in unto the wife of thy brother, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother;'

Darby: Then Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and fulfil to her the brother-in-law's duty, and raise up seed to thy brother.

ASV: And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother unto her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Judah  said  unto Onan,  Go in  unto thy brother's  wife,  and marry  her, and raise up  seed  to thy brother. 

What does Genesis 38:8 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Genesis 38

1  Judah begets Er, Onan, and Shelah
6  Er's marriage with Tamar, and death
8  The trespass of Onan
11  Tamar is reserved for Shelah
12  Judah's wife dies
13  Tamar deceives Judah
27  She bears twins, Pharez and Zarah

What do the individual words in Genesis 38:8 mean?

And said Judah to Onan go in to the wife of your brother and marry her and raise up an heir to your brother
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוּדָה֙ לְאוֹנָ֔ן בֹּ֛א אֶל־ אֵ֥שֶׁת אָחִ֖יךָ וְיַבֵּ֣ם אֹתָ֑הּ וְהָקֵ֥ם זֶ֖רַע לְאָחִֽיךָ

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוּדָה֙  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
לְאוֹנָ֔ן  to  Onan 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֹונָן  
Sense: 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.
בֹּ֛א  go  in 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֵ֥שֶׁת  the  wife 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
אָחִ֖יךָ  of  your  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
וְיַבֵּ֣ם  and  marry 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָבַם  
Sense: (Piel) to perform levirate marriage, perform the duty of a brother-in-law.
אֹתָ֑הּ  her 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person feminine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
וְהָקֵ֥ם  and  raise  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
זֶ֖רַע  an  heir 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
לְאָחִֽיךָ  to  your  brother 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.