Genesis 15:3

15:3 Abram added, ¹  “Since ²  you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!” ³ 

Genesis 19:32

19:32 Come, let’s make our father drunk with wine ⁴  so we can have sexual relations ⁵  with him and preserve ⁶  our family line through our father.” ⁷ 

Genesis 38:8

38:8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with ⁸  your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise ⁹  up a descendant for your brother.” ¹⁰ 

[15:3]  ¹ tn Heb “And Abram said.”

[15:3]  ² tn The construction uses הֵן (hen) to introduce the foundational clause (“since…”), and וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh) to introduce the main clause (“then look…”).

[15:3]  ³ tn Heb “is inheriting me.”

[19:32]  ⁴ tn Heb “drink wine.”

[19:32]  ⁵ tn Heb “and we will lie down.” The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive is subordinated to the preceding cohortative and indicates purpose/result.

[19:32]  ⁶ tn Or “that we may preserve.” Here the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates their ultimate goal.

[19:32]  ⁷ tn Heb “and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”

[38:8]  ⁷ tn Heb “go to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:8]  ⁸ tn The imperative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose.

[38:8]  ⁹ sn Raise up a descendant for your brother. The purpose of this custom, called the levirate system, was to ensure that no line of the family would become extinct. The name of the deceased was to be maintained through this custom of having a child by the nearest relative. See M. Burrows, “Levirate Marriage in Israel,” JBL 59 (1940): 23-33.