Onan
(strong), the second son of Judah by the Canaanitess, “the daughter of Shua.” (Genesis 38:4; 1 Chronicles 2:3) “What he did was evil in the eyes of Jehovah and he slew him also, as he had slain his elder brother. (Genesis 38:9) His death took place before the family of Jacob went down into Egypt. (Genesis 46:12; Numbers 26:19) (B.C. 1706.)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Onan
Onan o'-nan ('onan, "vigorous"; compare ONAM, a "son" of Judah (Ge 38:4,8-10; 46:12; Nu 26:19; 1Ch 2:3); "The story of the untimely death of Er and Onan implies that two of the ancient clans of Judah early disappeared" (Curtis, Chron, 84). See Skinner, Gen, 452, where it is pointed out that in Ge 38:11 Judah plainly attributes the death of his sons in some way to Tamar herself. The name is allied to Onam. ⇒See a list of verses on ONAN in the Bible. ⇒See the definition of onanism in the KJV Dictionary ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Onan
A son of Judah, Gn 384 46”, ONESIPHORUS Nu 26", 1 Ch 2%. After the decease of his elder brother, Er, he was instructed by his father to contract a levirate marriage with Tamar. The device by which he evaded the object of this marriage ‘was evil in the sight of the LoRD, and He slew him,’ Gn 38° (J). It is impossible to disentangle from this narrative what was the action of certain individuals and what is tribal history. Probably Er and Onan both stand for Judahite clans which at an early period, from what cause we know not, became extinct.* The present form of the narrative discloses a desire to impress the duty of marriage with a deceased brother’s wife (see Dillm. and Holzinger, ad loc.). J. A. SELBIE. ONESIMUS (Ονήσιμος) of Colossze (Col 4°), a slave of Philemon (Philem”), pay, a Phrygian by race, but bearing a Greek name which from its signification ‘helpful’ was often bestowed upon slaves (cf. Zahn, Deinl, i. 2 324; Lightfoot, Phile- mon, p. 376 note). ‘Helpful’ had, however, proved unprofitable (ἄχρηστος, Philem™); he wronged his master, perhaps misusing money intrusted to him…
Fausset's Bible Dictionary on Onan
Judah's second son by the Canaanitess, daughter of Shua (Gen 38:4). Slain by Jehovah for the unnatural means which he took to have no issue by his brother Er's widow, whom he had married according to the custom, to perpetuate the race (Gen 38:4-9).
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia