The Text of Scripture runs thus. And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy Brother’s Wife, and Marry her, and raise up Seed to thy Brother. 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. Chap. Genesis, Verses 8, 9, 10.
Though some Authors seem to make Onan’s chief Crime to be Self-pollution, yet the learned Bishop Patrick, in his Commentary upon the 38th Chapter of Genesis, is of a contrary Opinion, viz.
‘Verse 8. Go in unto thy Brother’s Wife. This was an ancient Custom in force by the Law of Moses, which only exacted what had been formerly practis’d, viz. that when a Man died without issue, his next Brother should Marry his Wife. Deut. 25. 5.
‘And raise up Seed to thy Brother; is meant preserve thy Brother’s Name and Family, by begetting a Child, which may be accounted his, and inherit his Estate. For so the Law was, that the first Born of such a Match, was not to be look’d upon, as a Child of him that begot him; but as his Brother’s, who was the Mother’s first Husband; though all the following Children were to be his own.
‘Verse 9. Onan knew that the Seed should not be accounted his in the first Born, but his Brothers. And least the Child should be born in the Name of his Brother; v. 10. The Thing which he did displeased the Lord. This made the Sin the more heinous, that he acted against the divine Promise made to Abraham, concerning the multiplying of his Seed.
‘The contract of Marriage was so understood in those Days, that if the Husband died without Issue, the Woman was oblig’d to Marry his next Brother, and as long as any of his Brethren remain’d, they were bound to Marry his Wife, and preserve their Brother’s Memory, or solemnly renounce, to their very great Infamy. This was so well known, that no new contract was enjoyn’d in such a Case; for the first Husband being dead, she and the next Brother were Man and Wife, without any farther Agreement or Ceremony, by Virtue of the Original Law.’
The learned Prelate in this Comment, omits mentioning the spilling of the Seed, but it may be rationally presum’d he did it not so much out of a regard to Modesty, as its being a trifling part of the Charge against Onan; since he determines Onan’s great Crime to be his not complying with the Law of Moses, in the Marriage of his Brothers Wife; tho’ he adds, that his Sin was the more heinous for his acting contrary to the promise made to Abraham, in relation to the multiplying of his Seed.
What provok’d Onan to the Breach of this Law, I take to be evident, was his not being allow’d the Reputation of begetting the first Child on his Brothers Wife, which in all Marriages is attended with more satisfaction, than any of the future Progeny.
There might be other probable Reasons given for Onan’s breaking this Law of Moses; as envy to the Memory of his deceas’d Brother, dislike or prejudice to his Wife, &c. But to Comment a little farther upon the 38 Chapter of Genesis, in respect to Onan’s Crime, it may not be amiss to examine some preceding Verses.
Verse. 2. And Judah saw there, a Daughter of a certain Cananite, whose Name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her. And she conceiv’d, and bare a Son, and he call’d his Name Er. By this, and many other parts of the Scripture it is apparent, that the Words going in unto a Woman, were meant in those times actual Copulation, so that when Onan went in unto his Brother’s Wife, it must be constru’d, that he began the pleasure of Matrimony, though, he did not perfect it by reason he spilt his Seed on the Ground; that is, he withdrew from his Brothers Wife, and did not consummate the Marriage; which displeas’d the Lord, wherefore he slew him.