Norwegian 2018 (Bibelen - Guds Ord Hverdagsbibelen (Hermon Forlag))
Juda sa til Onan: «Gå inn til din brors kone og gift deg med henne i stedet for broren din, og gi på denne måten broren din en slekt!» Men Onan visste at barnet ikke ville bli regnet som hans. Da han lå med sin brors kone, kastet han bort sæden sin ved å la den gå til spille på jorden. Han ville ikke gi broren sin noen slekt. Herren likte ikke det Onan gjorde, og derfor drepte Han Onan også. Da sa Juda til svigerdatteren sin Tamar: «Bo hjemme hos faren din som enke, til sønnen min Sjela er blitt gammel nok til å bli mannen din.» For han sa: «Ellers kommer også han til å dø som brødrene sine.» Tamar dro av sted og bodde hjemme hos faren sin.
What Does This Mean?
In this verse, Judah instructs his son Onan to marry his brother's wife, Tamar, and have children with her to continue his brother's lineage. This is an example of a practice called levirate marriage, where a brother is expected to marry his deceased brother's widow.
Explained for Children
Imagine if your friend couldn't play anymore because they were very sick, and your family decided to let your other friend play for them. In this story, Judah is like the parent telling Onan to help his brother by marrying his brother's wife and having kids to keep his brother's family name going.
Historical Background
This verse is part of the Book of Genesis, written by Moses around 1446-1406 BC. The story takes place during the patriarchal period, reflecting the customs and laws of that time, including the practice of levirate marriage.
Living It Out Today
In modern scenarios, this practice highlights the importance of family and community support. For instance, in a family where someone is unable to have children, relatives might step in to help, showing the value of family bonds and responsibility.