Protos

Who was Er in the Bible?

Lived during the years in Egypt and the wilderness

Er was the firstborn son of Judah and his Canaanite wife, the daughter of Shua (Gen. 38:3; 1Ch. 2:3). Er appears in 6 verses across 3 books of the Bible.

What does the Bible say about Er?

Er was the firstborn son of Judah and his Canaanite wife, the daughter of Shua (Gen. 38:3; 1Ch. 2:3). He married Tamar, but the Lord put him to death because of his wickedness (Gen. 38:6-7). The nature of his wickedness is not specified in the text. After Er's death, Judah instructed his second son, Onan, to marry Tamar and produce offspring for his deceased brother, a practice known as levirate marriage (Gen. 38:8). However, Onan also displeased the Lord and was put to death (Gen. 38:9-10). Er is mentioned again in the genealogy of Judah (Gen. 46:12; Num. 26:19; 1Ch. 2:3), which highlights the significance of his lineage despite his early death. His inclusion in these genealogies emphasizes the importance of Judah's descendants, particularly in light of the Messianic promise that would ultimately be fulfilled through this tribe (Gen. 49:10).

Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.

Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.

Where does Er appear in the Bible?

Er is referenced in 6 verses across 3 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

Genesis 41 Chronicles 1Numbers 1

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Er.

OnanJudahShelahTamarCanaan

Common questions

How many times does the Bible mention Er?

Er appears in 6 verses across 3 books, most often in Genesis, which accounts for 4 of them.

Which books of the Bible mention Er?

Genesis, 1 Chronicles, Numbers.

Where can I read every verse about Er?

This page lists 6 of them. Protos carries all 6, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.

Read it in context

Read Genesis with Er explained on the verse.

Tap any name, place, or word you do not recognize and the background opens on the verse you are reading. No second tab, no search, no losing your place.

The Protos reader open on Genesis 1 with the How to Read Genesis background sheet raised over it
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Darren Raynald

Pastor, MountainHouse Church · Teaches at Portland Bible College

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“Been using Protos for months now. Protos is an amazing Bible study app for anyone who wants to grow deeper in God's Word. I love how it helps me understand Scripture beyond simply reading the verses, providing helpful historical context, commentary, and insights into the original Hebrew and Greek. The resources make it easier to engage with the Bible and grow in understanding.”

Jason Layantara

Teaching Pastor, MountainHouse Church · M.A. in Christian Leadership · Bible class teacher, Lake Tahoe

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Protos helps you close that gap so you can stop skimming and start getting immersed in the world of the Bible.

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