Er עֵר
Judah's firstborn son, killed by God for his wickedness.
Biography
Er was the firstborn son of Judah and his Canaanite wife, the daughter of Shua (Gen. 38:3; 1 Ch. 2:3). He married Tamar, but the Lord put him to death because of his wickedness (Gen. 38:6-7). The nature of his wickedness is not specified in the text.
After Er's death, Judah instructed his second son, Onan, to marry Tamar and produce offspring for his deceased brother, a practice known as levirate marriage (Gen. 38:8). However, Onan also displeased the Lord and was put to death (Gen. 38:9-10).
Er is mentioned again in the genealogy of Judah (Gen. 46:12; Num. 26:19; 1 Ch. 2:3), which highlights the significance of his lineage despite his early death. His inclusion in these genealogies emphasizes the importance of Judah's descendants, particularly in light of the Messianic promise that would ultimately be fulfilled through this tribe (Gen. 49:10).
Family
Parents
Siblings
- Onan Tribe of JudahSon of JudahSon of JudahView full profile →
- Shelah Tribe of JudahSon of JudahJudah's youngest son and his descendantsView full profile →
- Perez Tribe of JudahSon of JudahSon of Judah, ancestor of David and JesusView full profile →
- Zerah Tribe of JudahJudah's sonSon of Judah, twin of PerezView full profile →
In Scripture
3 biblical books ; 1 with study contentGenesis 4 verses
- Genesis 38:3
"She conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 38:6
"Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 38:7
"Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in Yahweh’s sight. So Yahweh killed him."
Study Genesis → - 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 were Hezron and Hamul."
Study Genesis →
Numbers 1 verse
- Numbers 26:19
"The sons of Judah: Er and Onan. Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan."
1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 2:3
"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 Yahweh’s sight; and he killed him."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | עֵר | H6147G |