Enciclopedia Cattolica Vol. IX, 1952 Sacred Scripture Peoples and figures

Onan

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Also known as: Onan ben Judah

ONAN. - Second son of Judah, son of the patriarch Jacob, born to him by his Canaanite wife, Shua.

Since his brother Er had died without offspring, on his father's advice and by virtue of the custom of the levirate (v.), practiced even before the Mosaic legislation, he married his brother's widow Tamar. But not wishing the offspring to be attributed to his deceased brother, as the levirate required, he united with his wife in such a way as to prevent conception. As punishment for the ignoble crime he was punished by the Lord with death (Gen. 38:2-4; 46:12). From him takes its name the sin against nature directed at preventing offspring, which is called "onanism."

Gaetano Stano

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By Gaetano Stano

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Translated from the Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. IX (1952), col. 125.

More by Gaetano Stano: Ochozias · Ochozias (Joachaz) · Osee · Ozias (Azarias; Heb. 'Uzzijjah) · Pater Noster

Cite this article

Chicago

Stano, Gaetano. “Onan.” In Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. IX, col. 125. Città del Vaticano: Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1952. https://azioneromana.com/article/onan.

MLA

Stano, Gaetano. “Onan.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. IX, Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1952, col. 125. Azione Romana, https://azioneromana.com/article/onan.

BibTeX

@incollection{ec9_onan,
  author    = {Stano, Gaetano},
  title     = {Onan},
  booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica},
  volume    = {IX},
  pages     = {125},
  note      = {Cited by column},
  publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico},
  address   = {Città del Vaticano},
  year      = {1952},
  url       = {https://azioneromana.com/article/onan}
}

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