Er
malePatriarchalMeaning: “Watchful; awake”
The firstborn son of Judah, married to Tamar, who "was wicked in the sight of the LORD" and was put to death.
Biography
Er was the firstborn son of Judah by the daughter of Shua, a Canaanite woman (Genesis 38:3). Judah took for him a wife named Tamar. But Scripture records that "Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him" (Genesis 38:7). His death left Tamar a childless widow and set in motion the events by which she would secure justice and, ultimately, bear Perez in the line of the Messiah.
Life Timeline
Slain by the LORD for his wickedness
On the Bible timeline
Er belongs to the The Patriarchs era (c. 2100 – 1800 BC).
- c. 2091 BCThe Call of Abraham
- c. 1898 BCJoseph Sold into Egypt
Family Tree
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Themes & lessons from Er
Biblical themes that run through the passages where Er appears.
People they appear with
Scripture Appearances
4 verses in 1 bookGenesis4 verses
Genesis 38:3
And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.
Genesis 38:6
And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.
Genesis 38:7
And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
Genesis 46:12
And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zerah: but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.
Frequently asked about Er
Who was Er in the Bible?
The firstborn son of Judah, married to Tamar, who "was wicked in the sight of the LORD" and was put to death.
What does the name Er mean?
The name Er means “Watchful; awake”.
Who were Er's parents?
Er was the child of Judah.
Where does Er appear in the Bible?
Er is mentioned 4 times across 1 book: Genesis.
What can we learn from Er?
The story of Er touches on themes of inheritance, jacob, onan, pharez — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Er's life.
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