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Friday, July 11th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Bible Dictionaries
Onan

Holman Bible Dictionary

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(oh' nan) Personal name meaning, “power.” A son of Judah and his Canaanite wife, Shuah (Genesis 38:2-8 ). Following the death of his older brother, Er, Onan was to have married the widow and produced a son who would carry on Er's name. Onan repeatedly failed to complete the responsibilities of the marriage and thus God killed him (Genesis 38:8-10 ). (See Levirate Law; Marriage).

Bibliography Information
Butler, Trent C. Editor. Entry for 'Onan'. Holman Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​hbd/​o/onan.html. 1991.
 
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