Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 25:5-10

Justice, Dignity, and the Perpetuation of the Covenant Line

From restrained punishment that preserves dignity (vv. 1–3), through labor rewarded (v. 4), through levirate duty that perpetuates the covenant family (vv. 5–10), through protecting the means of family continuation (vv. 11–12), through commercial honesty as covenant fidelity (vv. 13–16), to a permanent war-memorial command against Amalek (vv. 17–19).

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

5When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for her.

6The first son she bears will carry on the name of the dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.

7But if the man does not want to marry his brother’s widow, she is to go to the elders at the city gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel. He is not willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.”

8Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak with him. If he persists and says, “I do not want to marry her,”

9his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal, spit in his face, and declare, “This is what is done to the man who will not maintain his brother’s line.”

10And his family name in Israel will be called “The House of the Unsandaled.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 5

Original words

Whenכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionbrothersאַחִ֜יםH251Noun - masculine pluraldwellיֵשְׁב֨וּH3427Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluraltogetherיַחְדָּ֗וH3162Adverband oneאַחַ֤דH259Number - masculine singularof themמֵהֶם֙Preposition-m | Pronoun - third person masculine pluraldiesוּמֵ֨תH4191Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularwithoutאֵֽין־H369Adverba sonוּבֵ֣ןH1121Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularthe widowאֵֽשֶׁת־H802Noun - feminine singular construct. . .הַמֵּ֛תH4191Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularmust notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlemarryתִהְיֶ֧הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular. . .לְאִ֣ישׁH376Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularvvvזָ֑רH2114Adjective - masculine singularoutside [the family]הַח֖וּצָהH2351Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singularHer husband’s brotherיְבָמָהּ֙H2993Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularis to take herוּלְקָחָ֥הּH3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singularas hisל֛וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularwifeלְאִשָּׁ֖הH802Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singularvvvיָבֹ֣אH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularvvvעָלֶ֔יהָH5921Preposition | third person feminine singularand fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for herוְיִבְּמָֽהּ׃H2992Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in Matthew 22:24, Mark 12:19, and Luke 20:28
Verse 6

Original words

-וְהָיָ֗הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularThe first sonהַבְּכוֹר֙H1060Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativeshe bearsתֵּלֵ֔דH3205Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularwill carryיָק֕וּםH6965Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositionthe nameשֵׁ֥םH8034Noun - masculine singular constructof the deadהַמֵּ֑תH4191Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularbrotherאָחִ֖יוH251Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularso that his nameשְׁמ֖וֹH8034Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularwill notוְלֹֽא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlebe blotted outיִמָּחֶ֥הH4229Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfrom Israelמִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃H3478Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 7

Original words

But ifוְאִם־H518Conjunctionthe manהָאִ֔ישׁH376Article | Noun - masculine singulardoes notלֹ֤אH3808Adverb - Negative particlewantיַחְפֹּץ֙H2654Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto marryלָקַ֖חַתH3947Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhis brother’s widowיְבִמְתּ֑וֹH2994Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularsheיְבִמְתּ֨וֹH2994Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularis to goוְעָלְתָה֩H5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe eldersהַזְּקֵנִ֗יםH2205Article | Adjective - masculine pluralat the city gateהַשַּׁ֜עְרָהH8179Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singularand sayוְאָֽמְרָה֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularMy husband’s brotherיְבָמִ֜יH2993Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | first person common singularrefusesמֵאֵ֨יןH3985Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularto preserveלְהָקִ֨יםH6965Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructhis brother’sלְאָחִ֥יוH251Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularnameשֵׁם֙H8034Noun - masculine singularin Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularHe is notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlewillingאָבָ֖הH14Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularto perform the duty of a brother-in-law for meיַבְּמִֽי׃H2992Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Verse 8

Original words

Then the eldersזִקְנֵי־H2205Adjective - masculine plural constructof his cityעִיר֖וֹH5892Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularshall summonוְקָֽרְאוּ־H7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralhimל֥וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularand speakוְדִבְּר֣וּH1696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralwith himאֵלָ֑יוH413Preposition | third person masculine singularIf he persistsוְעָמַ֣דH5975Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularand saysוְאָמַ֔רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularI do notלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particlewantחָפַ֖צְתִּיH2654Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularto marry herלְקַחְתָּֽהּ׃H3947Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 9

Original words

his brother’s widowיְבִמְתּ֣וֹH2994Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularshall go upוְנִגְּשָׁ֨הH5066Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularto himאֵלָיו֮H413Preposition | third person masculine singularin the presenceלְעֵינֵ֣יH5869Preposition-l | Noun - cdcof the eldersהַזְּקֵנִים֒H2205Article | Adjective - masculine pluralremoveוְחָלְצָ֤הH2502Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularhis sandalנַעֲלוֹ֙H5275Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular-מֵעַ֣לH5921Preposition-m-רַגְל֔וֹH7272Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularspitוְיָרְקָ֖הH3417Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularin his faceבְּפָנָ֑יוH6440Preposition-b | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular. . .וְעָֽנְתָה֙H6030Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularand declareוְאָ֣מְרָ֔הH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularThis is whatכָּ֚כָהH3602Adverbis doneיֵעָשֶׂ֣הH6213Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto the manלָאִ֔ישׁH376Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularwhoאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativewill notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlemaintainיִבְנֶ֖הH1129Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhis brother’sאָחִֽיוH251Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularlineבֵּ֥יתH1004Noun - masculine singular construct
Verse 10

Original words

And his family nameשְׁמ֖וֹH8034Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularin Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularwill be calledוְנִקְרָ֥אH7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularThe Houseבֵּ֖יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructof the Unsandaledהַנָּֽעַל׃סH5275Article | Noun - feminine singular. . .חֲל֥וּץH2502Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular construct

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