EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Deuteronomy 25:9
9If that happens, his brother's widow must go near him, as the leaders watch. She must pull off one of his shoes and then she must spit in his face. She must say, ‘This is what we do to a man who will not give descendants to his dead brother!’
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 the man may not want to marry his brother's widow. If so, this is what the widow must do: She must go to the leaders when they meet at the town gate. She must say, ‘My dead husband's brother refuses to do his duty for me. He does not want his brother to have any descendants so that his family's name will continue.’ 8Then the town's leaders must call the man to come to them. They must talk to him. Perhaps he will continue to say, ‘I do not want to marry her!’ If that happens, his brother's widow must go near him, as the leaders watch. She must pull off one of his shoes and then she must spit in his face. She must say, ‘This is what we do to a man who will not give descendants to his dead brother!’ 10After that, people will call that man's family, ‘the family of the man who lost his shoe.’ 11Perhaps two men are fighting each other. The wife of one of them comes to help him. She tries to save him from his enemy who is attacking him. Perhaps she takes hold of the man's sex parts.
Read all of Deuteronomy 25Deuteronomy 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 4:7In Israel at this time, when somebody agreed to sell land, he removed his shoe. He gave it to the man who was buying the land. Then everyone could see that they both agreed. They could not change their minds.
- Isaiah 20:2At that time, the Lord gave this message to Isaiah, the son of Amoz. He said, ‘Go and remove the rough clothes that you are wearing. Take your shoes off your feet.’ Isaiah did what the Lord told him to do. He walked about without clothes and without shoes.
- Mark 1:7John said to the people, ‘Another person will come soon. He is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to undo his shoes for him.
- John 1:27He is the one who comes after me. I am not good enough even to undo his shoes for him.’
- Numbers 12:14But the Lord said to Moses, ‘Even if her father had spat on her face, she would have to be ashamed for seven days. So you must keep her outside the camp for seven days. After that you can let her come back inside the camp.’
- Job 30:10They hate me and they do not come near me. When they see me, they spit at my face.
- Isaiah 50:6I offered my back to the people who hit me. I offered my face to the people who pulled out my beard. When they insulted me and they spat at me, I did not hide my face from them.
- Matthew 26:67Then some of them spat into Jesus' face. They also hit him with their fists.
- Matthew 27:30Then the soldiers spat into Jesus' face. They took the stick and they hit Jesus on his head with it many times.
- Mark 10:34Those people will laugh at him. They will spit at him. They will hit him with whips. Then they will kill him. But after three days, he will become alive again.’
- Genesis 38:8Then Judah said to Onan, ‘You should marry your dead brother's wife and have sex with her. You are her dead husband's brother. You must have a son who will become your dead brother's descendant.’
- Ruth 4:10I will also marry Ruth, who came here from Moab. She was Mahlon's wife. In that way, the land will still belong to his family. Ruth's descendants will still have his family's name. His family will continue to belong to this town where he lived. Today you have seen that this is what we have agreed together.’
- 1 Samuel 2:30Because of what you have done, the Lord, Israel's God, says this to you: “I promised your family and your ancestors that they would serve me as priests for ever.” But now the Lord says, “That will never happen! I will give honour to people who respect me. But I will curse people who insult me.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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