New Living Translation
Deuteronomy 25:5
5“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.
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 King James Version (NKJV)“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.
Context of Deuteronomy 25:5
3But never give more than forty lashes; more than forty lashes would publicly humiliate your neighbor. 4“You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain. “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. 6The first son she bears to him will be considered the son of the dead brother, so that his name will not be forgotten in Israel. 7“But if the man refuses to marry his brother’s widow, she must go to the town gate and say to the elders assembled there, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel—he refuses to fulfill the duties of a brother-in-law by marrying me.’
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 22:24“Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.’
- Mark 12:19“Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.
- Luke 20:28They posed this question: “Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife but no children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.
- Genesis 38:8Then Judah said to Er’s brother Onan, “Go and marry Tamar, as our law requires of the brother of a man who has died. You must produce an heir for your brother.”
- Ruth 1:12No, my daughters, return to your parents’ homes, for I am too old to marry again. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what?
- Ruth 3:9“Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your covering over me, for you are my family redeemer.”
- Ruth 4:5Then Boaz told him, “Of course, your purchase of the land from Naomi also requires that you marry Ruth, the Moabite widow. That way she can have children who will carry on her husband’s name and keep the land in the family.”
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
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