New King James Version
Deuteronomy 25:5
5“If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband’s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.
Deuteronomy 25:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her.
- New International Version (NIV)If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband's brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“If two brothers are living together on the same property and one of them dies without a son, his widow may not be married to anyone from outside the family. Instead, her husband’s brother should marry her and have intercourse with her to fulfill the duties of a brother-in-law.
Context of Deuteronomy 25:5
3Forty blows he may give him and no more, lest he should exceed this and beat him with many blows above these, and your brother be humiliated in your sight. 4“You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain. “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband’s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. 7But if the man does not want to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate to the elders, and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to raise up a name to his brother in Israel; he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother.’
Read all of Deuteronomy 25Deuteronomy 25:5 word by word
כִּֽי־יֵשְׁב֨וּ אַחִ֜ים יַחְדָּ֗ו וּמֵ֨ת אַחַ֤ד מֵהֶם֙ וּבֵ֣ן אֵֽין־ל֔וֹ לֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֧ה אֵֽשֶׁת־הַמֵּ֛ת הַח֖וּצָה לְאִ֣ישׁ זָ֑ר יְבָמָהּ֙ יָבֹ֣א עָלֶ֔יהָ וּלְקָחָ֥הּ ל֛וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֖ה וְיִבְּמָֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- If brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- togetherיָחְדָּוyachad · togetherH3162
- and oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- of them dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- and have no childבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- the wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- shall not marry withoutחוּץchûts chûts · outsideH2351
- unto a strangerזוּרzûr · be a strangerH2114
- unto a strangerאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- her husband’s brotherיָבָםyâbâm · brother-in-lawH2993
- shall go inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- unto her, and takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: marryH3947
- and perform the duty of an husband’s brotherיָבַםyâbam · be brother-in-lawH2992
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 25:5
- Matthew 22:24saying: “Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.
- Mark 12:19“Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.
- Luke 20:28saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.
- Genesis 38:8And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.”
- Ruth 1:12Turn back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons,
- Ruth 3:9And he said, “Who are you?” So she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative.”
- Ruth 4:5Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.”
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 25:5
- 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. 5The phrase fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law refers to the levirate marriage custom. The word levirate comes from a Latin word meaning “brother-in-law.” When a married man died without a son, his brother was encouraged to marry the widow. He would father children in his brother’s name so that the dead man’s family line would continue. For examples of this custom, see Genesis 38:6–11; Ruth 3:12–13; 4:1–12; Luke 20:27–33.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 25:5
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries