Genesis 38:9

Amharic Bible (መጽሐፍ ቅዱስ (የብሉይና የሐዲስ ኪዳን መጻሕፍት))

አውናንም ዘሩ ለእርሱ እንዳይሆን አወቀ፤ ወደ ወንድሙ ሚስት በገባ ጊዜ ለወንድሙ ዘር እንዳይሰጥ ዘሩን በምድር ያፈስስው ነበር።

What Does This Mean?

This verse describes how Onan, knowing that his duty was to father a child for his deceased brother's line, refused to do so by spilling his seed on the ground. He wanted to avoid giving seed to his brother, which God considered wicked.

Explained for Children

Imagine if your friend had a special job to take care of a plant, but he kept pulling it out of the ground because he didn't want to do the job. That's kind of what Onan did, but with something much more serious.

Historical Background

The book of Genesis was written by Moses around 1440-1400 BC. This passage is set in a time when the custom was for a brother to marry his deceased brother's wife to continue the family line. The audience was the Israelites, and this story was a cautionary tale about the consequences of disobedience.

Living It Out Today

In modern terms, this can be seen as a reminder about following through with commitments and responsibilities, especially those that involve family and inheritance. For example, if you promised to take care of your elderly relative, it would be wrong to neglect that duty.

Topics

• obedience
• responsibility
• consequences
• family duty
• disobedience
• inheritance

Related Verses

• Genesis 38:24
• Deuteronomy 25:5-10
• Matthew 22:23-33
• Luke 20:27-38
• Romans 9:10-13

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the main reason Onan spilled his seed?

Onan wanted to avoid giving seed to his brother, essentially refusing to follow the custom of levirate marriage, which was considered disrespectful and disobedient to God.

What does this verse teach us about responsibility?

It teaches that avoiding responsibility can have serious consequences. Onan's refusal to fulfill his duty led to his punishment by God.

How does this relate to modern family obligations?

It can relate to the importance of fulfilling family obligations, such as taking care of elderly relatives or providing for a family in the absence of a parent.

What does this say about God's view on disobedience?

This verse shows that God takes disobedience seriously and that there are consequences for ignoring His commands or established customs.