Deuteronomy 25:9

Deuteronomy 25:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house.
• New International Version (NIV)his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)then his brother's wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, 'So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother's house.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, spit in his face, and answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who will not build up his brother’s house.’

Context of Deuteronomy 25:9

7But if the man doesn’t want to marry his sister-in-law, she is to go to the elders at the city gate and say, ‘My brother-in-law refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel. He isn’t willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.’ 8The elders of his city will summon him and speak with him. If he persists and says, ‘I don’t want to marry her,’ then his sister-in-law will go up to him in the sight of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face. Then she will declare, ‘This is what is done to a man who will not build up his brother’s house.’ 10And his family name in Israel will be ‘The house of the man whose sandal was removed.’ 11“If two men are fighting with each other, and the wife of one steps in to rescue her husband from the one striking him, and she puts out her hand and grabs his genitals,

Deuteronomy 25:9 word by word

וְנִגְּשָׁ֨ה יְבִמְתּ֣וֹ אֵלָיו֮ לְעֵינֵ֣י הַזְּקֵנִים֒ וְחָלְצָ֤ה נַעֲלוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְל֔וֹ וְיָרְקָ֖ה בְּפָנָ֑יו וְעָֽנְתָה֙ וְאָ֣מְרָ֔ה כָּ֚כָה יֵעָשֶׂ֣ה לָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יִבְנֶ֖ה אֶת־בֵּ֥ית אָחִֽיוRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then shall his brother’s wifeיְבֵ֫מֶתyebêmeth · sister-in-lawH2994
• comeנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
• unto him in the presenceעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: before(the eyes)H5869
• of the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
• and looseחָלַץchâlats · to rescueH2502
• his shoeנַ֫עַלna‛al na‛ălâh · sandalH5275
• from off his footרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
• and spitיָרַקyâraq · to spitH3417
• in his faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• and shall answerעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• and sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• So shall it be doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• unto that manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• that will not build upבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• his brother’sאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 25:9

• Ruth 4:7At an earlier period in Israel, a man removed his sandal and gave it to the other party in order to make any matter legally binding concerning the right of redemption or the exchange of property. This was the method of legally binding a transaction in Israel.
• Isaiah 20:2during that time the Lord had spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, take off your sackcloth from your waist and remove the sandals from your feet,” and he did that, going stripped and barefoot —
• Mark 1:7He proclaimed, “One who is more powerful than I am is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals.
• John 1:27He is the one coming after me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.”
• Numbers 12:14The Lord answered Moses, “If her father had merely spit in her face, wouldn’t she remain in disgrace for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp for seven days; after that she may be brought back in.”
• Job 30:10They despise me and keep their distance from me; they do not hesitate to spit in my face.
• Isaiah 50:6I gave my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who tore out my beard. I did not hide my face from scorn and spitting.
• Matthew 26:67Then they spat in his face and beat him; others slapped him
• Matthew 27:30Then they spat on him, took the staff, and kept hitting him on the head.
• Mark 10:34and they will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him, and he will rise after three days.”
• Genesis 38:8Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and produce offspring for your brother.”
• Ruth 4:10I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, to perpetuate the deceased man’s name on his property, so that his name will not disappear among his relatives or from the gate of his hometown. You are witnesses today.”
• 1 Samuel 2:30“Therefore, this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I did say that your family and your forefather’s family would walk before me forever. But now,’ this is the Lord’s declaration, ‘no longer! For those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disgraced.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 25:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9And loose his shoe - It is difficult to find the reason of these ceremonies of degradation. Perhaps the shoe was the emblem of power; and by stripping it off, deprivation of that power and authority was represented. Spitting in the face was a mark of the utmost ignominy; but the Jews, who are legitimate judges in this case, say that the spitting was not in his face, but before his face on the ground. And this is the way in which the Asiatics express their…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5-10Verses 5-10 The law of levirate marriage. The law on this subject is not unique to the Jews, but is found (see Genesis 38:8) in all essential respects the same among various Oriental nations, ancient and modern. The rules in these verses, like those upon divorce, do but incorporate existing immemorial usages, and introduce various wise and politic limitations and mitigations of them. The root of the obligation here imposed upon the brother of the deceased…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-12Verses 5-12 The custom here regulated seems to have been in the Jewish law in order to keep inheritances distinct; now it is unlawful.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9remove his sandal: By removing his sandal, which touched the ground, the brother-in-law gave up his right to his dead brother’s property. This action showed publicly that he would not carry out his duty (Ruth 4:7). spit in his face: Spitting in someone’s face was a strong sign of shame and rejection. It showed deep dishonor and contempt (see Numbers 12:14).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-105-10. the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother ... shall take her to him to wife--This usage existed before the age of Moses (Ge 38:8). But the Mosaic law rendered the custom obligatory (Mt 22:25) on younger brothers, or the nearest kinsman, to marry the widow (Ru 4:4), by associating the natural desire of perpetuating a brother's name with the preservation of property in the Hebrew families and tribes. If the…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 25:9

• Brother
• Government
• Inheritance
• Marriage
• Shoe
• Spitting
• Widow

In the dictionaries

• Brother's Wife
• Beat
• Exceed
• Hindmost
• Levirate Law
• Muzzle
• Stripe
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings