Genesis
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Genesis 38 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered
A response and reply to the notes on Genesis 38 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).
King James Version
SAB comment
My comment
1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.
3 And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.
4 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.
5 And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.
6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.
7 And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
(38:7) "And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him."
God's 5th Killing
He also asks what Er did to elicit God's wrath. It seems to have been some quite singular form of wickedness. The Bible usually is very open in mentioning evil deeds, but the specifics here might be horrible enough that they should not be mentioned.
It does not happen often that God punishes sins immediately. There are only a few examples in the Bible like the two sons of Aaron (Lev. 10), Korah, Dathan and Abiram (Num. 16) and in the New Testament Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). I'm unsure if you can generalize from so few instances, but it seems that this extraordinary punishment only occurs when God is present extraordinarily and he is disobeyed publicly.
8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
9 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.
(38:8-10) "He spilled it on the ground ... And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also."
After God killed Er, Judah tells Onan to "go in unto thy brother's wife." But "Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and ... when he went in unto his brother's wife ... he spilled it on the ground.... And the thing which he did displeased the Lord; wherefore he slew him also." This lovely Bible story is seldom read in Sunday School, but it is the basis of many Christian doctrines, including the condemnation of both masturbation and birth control.
God's 6th Killing
What the Bible says about birth control, semen and masturbation
On if this story is foundation for many Christian doctrines: I simply doubt if it is good enough to be that foundation the SAB claims it is. Onan did want to have sex, but not to have the consequences, so clearly that is an important consideration in Christian ethics. But that does not appear to be the reason he was punished, nor does the Bible give any indication that intercourse with one's own wife without a large probability of conception is forbidden. The reason he was punished is that he used his wife, he didn't want to give her children, he just treated her as an object for his lusts, and secondly he didn't want to give seed for his brother. The punishment was for all these three things, and especially the latter.
But there is one more reason. The reader may know that our Lord Jesus Christ was a descendant from Tamar (through Pharez), see Matthew 1:3. That gives even more light: Onan's rebellion was also of a religious nature. By not giving his brother seed, it was an attempt to prevent the birth of Jesus if it were.
10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.
12 And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.
Tamar (the widow of Er and Onan, who were killed by God) dresses up as a prostitute and Judah (her father-in-law) propositions her, saying: "Let me come in unto thee.... And he ... came in unto her, and she conceived by him." From this incestuous union, twins (38:27-28) were born (both were boys of course). One of these was Pharez -- an ancestor of Jesus ( Lk.3:33).
And yes, despite all these broken and sinful human actions, Jesus would be born.
14 And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.
15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.
16 And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?
17 And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?
18 And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.
19 And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
20 And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand: but he found her not.
21 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.
22 And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.
23 And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.
24 And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
After Judah pays Tamar for her services, he is told that she "played the harlot" and "is with child by whoredom." When Judah hears this, he says, "Bring her forth, and let her be burnt."
What the Bible says about abortion and burning people to death
And of course this story is not in the Bible as an example to follow, but as an example to avoid. And it was indeed cruel and unjust.
25 When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.
26 And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.
27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first,
29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.
30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.
Judah has casual sex with a Canaanite woman which results in two sons, Er and Onan.