The meaning of Onan in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)o'-nan ('onan, "vigorous"; compare ONAM, a "son" of Judah (Genesis 38:4, Genesis 38:8-10; Genesis 46:12; Numbers 26:19; I Chronicles 2:3); "The story of the untimely death of Er and Onan implies that two of the ancient clans of Judah early disappeared" (Curtis, Chron, 84). See Skinner, Gen, 452, where it is pointed out that in Genesis 38:11 Judah plainly attributes the death of his sons in some way to Tamar herself. The name is allied to Onam.
See more on the meaning of Onan in the Bible:
Onan {Easton's Bible Dictionary}
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