In the lineage of the Messiah, the name Er stands as a somber warning. He is recorded not for his achievements, but for his wickedness, becoming a stark example of God’s direct intervention in the affairs of men.
The Testimony of the Times
Er was the firstborn son of Judah and a Canaanite woman named Shua. He lived during the patriarchal period, a time when the family of Jacob was beginning to settle in the land of Canaan. As the eldest son, Er held the birthright—the right to the double portion and the spiritual leadership of the family that would eventually produce the scepter of Israel. However, he chose a path of such profound depravity that he never lived to see his inheritance.
The Scriptural Exhibit
The life and death of Er are chronicled with startling brevity in the book of Genesis:
- The Genealogy: “And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.” (Genesis 38:6, KJV).
- The Divine Execution: “And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him.” (Genesis 38:7, KJV).
- The Historical Record: “The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born unto him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the Lord; and he slew him.” (1 Chronicles 2:3, KJV).
The Forensic Analysis
The case of Er is unique due to the “suddenness” of the divine verdict.
- The Nature of His Sin: The Scripture does not specify the exact nature of Er’s wickedness. However, the Hebrew name Er ($עֵר$) means “watchful” or “stirring up,” but when reversed ($רַע$), it spells Ra, the Hebrew word for “evil.” His life was so contrary to the purposes of God for the tribe of Judah that he was removed before he could produce an heir.
- The Sight of the Lord: The text emphasizes that he was wicked “in the sight of the Lord.” While he may have maintained a facade of nobility as Judah’s heir, the Omniscient Judge saw a heart that was unredeemable.
- The Failure of the Firstborn: Er’s death set off a chain of events involving his brother Onan and his widow Tamar. Because Er died childless, the Messianic line was seemingly at risk. This led to the unconventional and dramatic story of Tamar, through whom the line of Judah was ultimately preserved via Perez.
The Verdict
Er serves as a “forensic” reminder that God is the ultimate arbiter of life and the guardian of the Messianic line. He was a man who possessed the greatest privilege—a place in the direct lineage of Christ—but forfeited it for the sake of wickedness. His life proves that being “firstborn” or having a godly pedigree is no substitute for personal righteousness.
The story of Er is a witness that God will not allow the uncleanness of man to thwart the purity of His redemptive plan.