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1 Chronicles 2 · a question people ask

What did Er do?

In the text

The Bible doesn't say. The second sentence of 2:3 begins with the words of Genesis 38:7: "Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight" (Genesis 38:7). Genesis goes on, "So the LORD killed him" (Genesis 38:7); here, "and he killed him" (2:3) (tap wicked). Neither verse names his wickedness. Genesis 38 goes on to tell what his brother Onan did (Genesis 38:8-9), and says, "The thing which he did was evil in the LORD’s sight, and he killed him also" (Genesis 38:10). 1 Chronicles keeps Er's death to one line, then names Tamar's sons, Perez and Zerah (2:4), and the list goes on with their sons (2:5-6).

The verses

“The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah, which three were born to him of Shua’s daughter the Canaanitess. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight; and he killed him. Tamar his daughter-in-law bore him Perez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five. The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul. The sons of Zerah: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara—five of them in all.”
1 Chronicles 2:3-6 · World English Bible
“Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight. So the LORD killed him. Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” Onan knew that the offspring wouldn’t be his; and when he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother. The thing which he did was evil in the LORD’s sight, and he killed him also.”
Genesis 38:7-10 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 1 Chronicles 2

1 Chronicles 2: David the seventh

1 Chronicles gives Judah's family first (2:3), and the line to David keeps passing the firstborn by: Er (2:3), Hezron's firstborn Jerahmeel (2:25), Jesse's firstborn Eliab (2:13), down to "David the seventh" (2:15). Paul says Jesus "was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh" (Romans 1:3).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions