Genesis 38:7 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. Er - was wicked in the sight of the Lord - What this wickedness consisted in we are not told; but the phrase sight of the Lord being added, proves that it was some very great evil. It is worthy of remark that the Hebrew word used to express Er's wickedness is his own name, the letters reversed. Er ער wicked, רע ra. As if the inspired writer had said, "Er was altogether wicked, a completely abandoned character."