Discovery BoxGenesis 38:8 
Context38:8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with 1 your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise 2 up a descendant for your brother.” 3
Genesis 45:18
Context45:18 Get your father and your households and come to me! Then I will give you 4 the best land in Egypt and you will eat 5 the best 6 of the land.’
1 tn Heb “go to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.
2 tn The imperative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose.
3 sn Raise up a descendant for your brother. The purpose of this custom, called the levirate system, was to ensure that no line of the family would become extinct. The name of the deceased was to be maintained through this custom of having a child by the nearest relative. See M. Burrows, “Levirate Marriage in Israel,” JBL 59 (1940): 23-33.
4 tn After the imperatives in vv. 17-18a, the cohortative with vav indicates result.
5 tn After the cohortative the imperative with vav states the ultimate goal.
6 tn Heb “fat.”
