Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with ¹  your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise ²  up a descendant for your brother.” ³ 

biblegateway Gen 38:8

Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother."

Then Judah said to Onan, "Sleep with your brother's wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and produce offspring for your brother."

Then Judah said to Onan, "Go sleep with your brother’s widow. Do your duty for her as a brother–in–law, and produce a descendant for your brother."

biblegateway Gen 38:8

Then Judah said to Onan, "Lie with your brother’s wife and fulfil your duty to her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother."

Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother."

bibleoremus Gen 38:8

Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her; raise up offspring for your brother."

Then Judah told Onan to sleep with his brother's wife, to do his duty as the husband's brother and raise up offspring for his brother.

biblegateway Gen 38:8

And Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother."

And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

biblegateway Gen 38:8

Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with ¹  your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise ²  up a descendant for your brother.” ³ 

¹ tn Heb “go to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

² tn The imperative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose.

³ sn Raise up a descendant for your brother. The purpose of this custom, called the levirate system, was to ensure that no line of the family would become extinct. The name of the deceased was to be maintained through this custom of having a child by the nearest relative. See M. Burrows, “Levirate Marriage in Israel,” JBL 59 (1940): 23-33.