Thursday, June 30, 2022

Note on the Differences between KJV and JST Genesis 38:8-9

KJV Gen 38:8-9 reads:

 

And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went into under his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.

 

The 1867 RLDS Inspired Version reads:

 

And Judah said unto Onan, Go and marry thy brother's wife, and raise up seed unto thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he married his brother's wife, that he would not lie with her, lest he should raise up seed unto his brother.

 

The JST makes it clear that Onan married the woman first and then was expected to engage in sexual intercourse; the KJV lends itself to coitus being expected before the marriage with the euphemistic command to "go in unto thy brother's wife" preceding "and marry her."

 

In Old Testament Manuscript 2, pp. 61-62, we read:

 



 


 

8th and Judah said unto Onan, go and marry thy brothers wife and raise up seed unt[y]<o> thy Brother <9th> and Onon knew <that> the seed  should not be his; and it came to pass, when he married his  Brothers wife, that he would not lie with her, Least he should raise up seed unto his Brother