Genesis 38:9
“Onan knew that the offspring wouldn’t be his; and when he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother.”
What does Genesis 38:9 mean?
This passage describes Onan refusing to fulfill an ancient custom where a man was expected to have children with his late brother's widow, so that the family line would continue. Instead, he deliberately prevented conception, which was seen as a selfish act that violated his duty to his family. The text shows the conflict between personal desire and communal responsibility that existed in that time and culture. While interpreters have debated the exact nature of his offense for centuries, the core issue is that Onan put his own interests above what was expected of him in a difficult situation, and the passage presents this as wrong.