And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.
Onan knew that any child born wouldn't be considered his own heir, but his dead brother's. So whenever he slept with his brother's widow, he deliberately prevented her from getting pregnant, because he didn't want to give his brother descendants.
This verse describes how Onan selfishly refused to fulfill his family duty to give his deceased brother children through the brother's widow.
📚 Historical Context
In ancient Israelite culture, it was a common practice for a man's brother to marry his widow if he died without children, in order to provide an heir and preserve the family lineage. This custom, known as levirate marriage, helped maintain inheritance rights and social stability within the tribe. In Genesis 38, Judah's son Er had died, leaving his widow Tamar, and Onan was required to fulfill this duty but chose to avoid it by spilling his seed on the ground to prevent children who would not be considered his own.
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