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 like not to take his brother's wife, his brother's wife shall go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel: he will not perform for me the duty of a husband's brother. 8Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak unto him; and if he stand to it and say, I like not to take her; then shall his brother's wife come near to him before the eyes of the elders, and draw his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto the man that will not build up his brother's house. 10And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe drawn off. 11When men fight together one with another, and the wife of the one come near to rescue her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and stretch out her hand, and seize him by his secret parts,

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

• wifeיְבֵ֫מֶתyebêmeth · sister-in-lawH2994
• eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: before(the eyes)H5869
• eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
• drawנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
• sandalנַ֫עַלna‛al na‛ălâh · sandalH5275
• footרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
• spitיָרַקyâraq · to spitH3417
• faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• answerעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 25:9

• Ruth 4:7Now this [was the custom] in former time in Israel concerning redemption and concerning exchange, to confirm the whole matter: a man drew off his sandal, and gave it to his neighbour, and this was the [mode of] attestation in Israel.
• Isaiah 20:2at that time spoke Jehovah by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy sandal from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
• Mark 1:7And he preached, saying, There comes he that is mightier than I after me, the thong of whose sandals I am not fit to stoop down and unloose.
• John 1:27he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to unloose.
• Numbers 12:14And Jehovah said to Moses, But had her father anyways spat in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? She shall be shut outside the camp seven days, and afterwards she shall be received in [again].
• Job 30:10They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, yea, they spare not to spit in my face.
• Isaiah 50:6I gave my back to smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
• Matthew 26:67Then they spit in his face, and buffeted him, and some struck him with the palms of their hand,
• Matthew 27:30And having spit upon him, they took the reed and beat [him] on his head.
• Mark 10:34and they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him; and after three days he shall rise again.
• Genesis 38:8Then Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and fulfil to her the brother-in-law's duty, and raise up seed to thy brother.
• Ruth 4:10moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.
• 1 Samuel 2:30Wherefore Jehovah the God of Israel saith, I said indeed, Thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever. But now Jehovah saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

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