Internet Verse Search Commentaries Word Analysis ITL - draft

Genesis 38:9

NETBible	But Onan knew that the child¹ would not be considered his.² So whenever³ he had sexual relations with⁴ his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely⁵ so as not to give his brother a descendant.
NIV © biblegateway Gen 38:9	But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother.
NASB © biblegateway Gen 38:9	Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother.
NLT © biblegateway Gen 38:9	But Onan was not willing to have a child who would not be his own heir. So whenever he had intercourse with Tamar, he spilled the semen on the ground to keep her from having a baby who would belong to his brother.
MSG © biblegateway Gen 38:9	But Onan knew that the child wouldn't be his, so whenever he slept with his brother's widow he spilled his semen on the ground so he wouldn't produce a child for his brother.
BBE © SABDAweb Gen 38:9	But Onan, seeing that the offspring would not be his, went in to his brother’s wife, but let his seed go on to the earth, so that he might not get offspring for his brother.
NRSV © bibleoremus Gen 38:9	But since Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, he spilled his semen on the ground whenever he went in to his brother’s wife, so that he would not give offspring to his brother.
NKJV © biblegateway Gen 38:9	But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother.
[+] More English


KJV	And Onan <0209> knew <03045> (8799) that the seed <02233> should not be his; and it came to pass, when <0518> he went in <0935> (8802) unto his brother's <0251> wife <0802>_, that he spilled <07843> (8765) [it] on the ground <0776>_, lest <01115> that he should give <05414> (8800) seed <02233> to his brother <0251>_.
NASB © biblegateway Gen 38:9	Onan <0209> knew <03045> that the offspring <02233> would not be his; so when <0518> he went <0935> in to his brother's <0251> wife <0802> , he wasted <07843> his seed on the ground <0776> in order not to give <05414> offspring <02233> to his brother <0251> .
LXXM	gnouv <1097> V-AAPNS de <1161> PRT aunan {N-PRI} oti <3754> CONJ ouk <3364> ADV autw <846> D-DSM estai <1510> V-FMI-3S to <3588> T-NSN sperma <4690> N-NSN egineto <1096> V-IMI-3S otan <3752> ADV eishrceto {V-IMI-3S} prov <4314> PREP thn <3588> T-ASF gunaika <1135> N-ASF tou <3588> T-GSM adelfou <80> N-GSM autou <846> D-GSM execeen <1632> V-IAI-3S epi <1909> PREP thn <3588> T-ASF ghn <1065> N-ASF tou <3588> T-GSN mh <3165> ADV dounai <1325> V-AAN sperma <4690> N-ASN tw <3588> T-DSM adelfw <80> N-DSM autou <846> D-GSM
NET [draft] ITL	But Onan <0209> knew <03045> that <03588> the child <02233> would not <03808> be <01961> considered <01961> his. So whenever he had sexual relations <0935> with <0413> his brother’s <0251> wife <0802> , he withdrew <07843> prematurely <0776> so as not <01115> to give <05414> his brother <0251> a descendant <02233> .
HEBREW	wyxal <0251> erz <02233> Ntn <05414> ytlbl <01115> hura <0776> txsw <07843> wyxa <0251> tsa <0802> la <0413> ab <0935> Ma <0518> hyhw <01961> erzh <02233> hyhy <01961> wl <0> al <03808> yk <03588> Nnwa <0209> edyw (38:9) <03045>

NETBible

But Onan knew that the child¹ would not be considered his.² So whenever³ he had sexual relations with⁴ his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely⁵ so as not to give his brother a descendant.

NET Notes

¹tn Heb “offspring.”

²tn Heb “would not be his,” that is, legally speaking. Under the levirate system the child would be legally considered the child of his deceased brother.

³tn The construction shows that this was a repeated practice and not merely one action.

³sn The text makes it clear that the purpose of the custom was to produce an heir for the deceased brother. Onan had no intention of doing that. But he would have sex with the girl as much as he wished. He was willing to use the law to gratify his desires, but was not willing to do the responsible thing.

⁴tn Heb “he went to.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

⁵tn Heb “he spoiled [his semen] to the ground.” Onan withdrew prematurely and ejaculated on the ground to prevent his brother’s widow from becoming pregnant.