Who was Onan in the Bible?

Onan was the second son of Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob (Israel). His story is found in the Book of Genesis, where he is known for his disobedience and the severe consequence he faced from God (Genesis 38:4, 8-10).

What did Onan do wrong?

Onan practiced coitus interruptus to avoid fulfilling his duty of providing an heir for his deceased brother, Er, through his widow, Tamar. This act of disobedience to the law of levirate marriage was considered wicked in God's sight, and God put him to death for it (Genesis 38:9-10).

Why is Onan's story significant?

Onan's story highlights the importance of familial duty and obedience to God's laws in the Old Testament. His actions and punishment also set the stage for the subsequent story of Judah and Tamar, which is part of the lineage leading to King David and, ultimately, Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3).

Onan

Old TestamentEgypt & WildernessMaleSon

Onan was the second son of Judah, who was punished by God for his wicked actions.

Onan

Biography

Onan was the second son of Judah, the fourth son of Jacob, born to a Canaanite woman named Shua's daughter (Genesis 38:2-4). After God took the life of his elder brother Er for unspecified wickedness, Onan was instructed by his father Judah to fulfill the duty of levirate marriage, taking Er's widow Tamar as his wife to produce offspring that would carry on his brother's name and inheritance (Genesis 38:8). Onan, however, deliberately avoided fulfilling this obligation. He was willing to engage in the marital relationship with Tamar but consistently prevented conception, recognizing that any offspring would legally be credited to his deceased brother rather than to himself (Genesis 38:9). This act was evil in the sight of the Lord, and God took Onan's life as a result (Genesis 38:10).

Significance

Onan's narrative in Genesis 38 carries significant theological weight concerning covenant duty, selfishness, and divine judgment. His refusal to provide offspring for his deceased brother was not merely a personal choice but a violation of sacred familial obligation that predated the Mosaic law's formal codification of levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). By exploiting Tamar while denying her the child that would secure her future, Onan demonstrated callous disregard for both his brother's legacy and Tamar's vulnerable position. Ironically, his attempt to preserve his own inheritance contributed to the chain of events that led Tamar to take desperate measures, ultimately resulting in the birth of Perez, an ancestor of King David and, through David, of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3).

Verse Appearances (6)

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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Onan

Biography

Significance

Verse Appearances (6)

Genesis

Numbers

1 Chronicles

References