1 Chronicles 2:3
1 Chronicles 2:3 in Multiple Translations
The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah. These three were born to him by Bath-shua the Canaanite. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, who put him to death.
¶ The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born unto him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD; and he slew him.
The sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and Shelah; which three were born unto him of Shua’s daughter the Canaanitess. And Er, Judah’s first-born, was wicked in the sight of Jehovah; and he slew him.
The sons of Judah: Er and Onan and Shelah; these three were his sons by Bathshua, the Canaanite woman. And Er, Judah's oldest son, did evil in the eyes of the Lord; and he put him to death.
The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah—these three the daughter of Shua, a Canaanite woman, bore to him. Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, so he put him to death.
The sonnes of Iudah, Er, and Onan, and Shelah. these three were borne to him of ye daughter of Shua the Canaanite: but Er the eldest sonne of Iudah was euil in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him.
Sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and Shelah, three have been born to him of a daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, first-born of Judah, is evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and He putteth him to death.
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.
The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born to him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the first-born of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD; and he slew him.
The sons of Juda: Her, Onan and Sela. These three were born to him of the Chanaanitess the daughter of Sue. And Her the firstborn of Juda, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him.
Judah’s sons were Er, Onan, and Shelah. Their mother was the daughter of Shua from the Canaan people-group. When Judah’s oldest son Er grew up, he did something that Yahweh considered to be very wicked, so Yahweh caused him to die.
Berean Amplified Bible — 1 Chronicles 2:3
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1 Chronicles 2:3 Interlinear (Deep Study)
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Hebrew Word Reference — 1 Chronicles 2:3
Study Notes — 1 Chronicles 2:3
- Context
- Cross References
- 1 Chronicles 2:3 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on 1 Chronicles 2:3
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Chronicles 2:3
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 2:3
- Trapp's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 2:3
- Ellicott's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 2:3
- Cambridge Bible on 1 Chronicles 2:3
- Sermons on 1 Chronicles 2:3
Context — The Sons of Israel
3The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah. These three were born to him by Bath-shua the Canaanite. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death.
4Tamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law, bore to him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all. 5The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 38:2–10 | There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua, and he took her as a wife and slept with her. So she conceived and gave birth to a son, and Judah named him Er. Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Onan. Then she gave birth to another son and named him Shelah; it was at Chezib that she gave birth to him. Now Judah acquired a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; so the LORD put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the offspring would not belong to him; so whenever he would sleep with his brother’s wife, he would spill his seed on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, so He put Onan to death as well. |
| 2 | Genesis 46:12 | The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul. |
| 3 | Numbers 26:19 | The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but they died in the land of Canaan. |
| 4 | 1 Chronicles 9:5 | From the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn and his sons. |
1 Chronicles 2:3 Summary
[This verse tells us about Judah's three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah, and how Er, the firstborn, was put to death by God because of his wickedness. This shows us that God is holy and just, and He takes sin seriously, as we also see in Genesis 6:5-7. We can learn from Er's example to prioritize obedience to God's will and to take sin seriously, knowing that our actions have consequences. By doing so, we can honor God's holiness and justice, just as Judah and his family would have been called to do.]
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did God put Er, Judah's firstborn, to death?
According to 1 Chronicles 2:3, Er was wicked in the sight of the LORD, which suggests that his actions and heart were contrary to God's will, much like the wickedness described in Genesis 6:5-7. As a result, God put him to death, demonstrating His holiness and justice.
Who was Bath-shua the Canaanite?
Bath-shua was a Canaanite woman who became the wife of Judah and the mother of his three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah, as mentioned in 1 Chronicles 2:3. This intermarriage with a Canaanite is notable, given the warnings against such unions in Deuteronomy 7:1-4 and other passages.
What does this verse reveal about God's character?
This verse shows that God is holy and just, taking sin seriously and holding people accountable for their actions, as seen in the death of Er. This is consistent with other biblical teachings, such as Romans 6:23, which states that the wages of sin is death.
How does this verse relate to the larger story of the Bible?
This verse is part of the genealogy of Judah, which is significant because Jesus Christ, the Messiah, would later come from the tribe of Judah, as prophesied in Genesis 49:10 and fulfilled in Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38.
Reflection Questions
- What does the death of Er reveal about the consequences of sin, and how can I apply this to my own life?
- How can I balance the justice and mercy of God, as seen in this verse and other passages like Psalm 85:9-13?
- In what ways can I honor God's holiness and justice in my daily life, just as Judah and his family would have been called to do?
- What does this verse teach me about the importance of obedience to God's will, and how can I prioritize obedience in my own life?
Gill's Exposition on 1 Chronicles 2:3
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Chronicles 2:3
Matthew Poole's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 2:3
Trapp's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 2:3
Ellicott's Commentary on 1 Chronicles 2:3
Cambridge Bible on 1 Chronicles 2:3
Sermons on 1 Chronicles 2:3
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
God's Dealing With Sin and the Sinner by Horatius Bonar | Horatius Bonar emphasizes God's serious and decisive approach to sin and the sinner, illustrated through the fate of Er, the first-born of Judah, who was slain by God for his wicke |

