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 does not want to take his brother’s widow, his brother’s widow is to go to the elders at the gate and say, ‘My brother-in-law refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel—he is unwilling to perform a brother-in-law’s duty for me.’ 8Then the elders of his town are to summon him and speak to him. And if he stands firm and says, ‘I do not desire to take her,’ then his brother’s widow is to come to him in the sight of the elders, pull his sandal off his foot, spit in his face, and reply, ‘So will it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ 10Then his name is to be called in Israel ‘the house of the pulled-off sandal.’ 11“Suppose people fight with one another, a man and his brother, and the wife of the one approaches to rescue her husband from the hand of the one hitting him; and she puts out her hand and grabs him by 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 4:7Now in the past in Israel, one removed his sandal and gave it to another, in order to finalize the redemption and transfer of a matter. This was a legal transaction in Israel.
• Isaiah 20:2at that time Adonai spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz saying, “Go, remove the sackcloth from your loins and your sandals from your feet.” So he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
• Mark 1:7“After me comes One who is mightier than I am,” he proclaimed. “I’m not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of His sandals!
• John 1:27coming after me, whose sandals I’m not worthy to untie.”
• Numbers 12:14Adonai said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be in shame for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp for seven days. After that she may be brought back.”
• Job 30:10They despise me; they keep their distance from me; they do not hesitate to spit in my face.
• Isaiah 50:6I gave My back to those who strike, and My cheeks to those pulling out My beard; I did not hide My face from humiliation and spitting.
• Matthew 26:67Then they spat in His face and pounded Him with their fists. Others slapped Him and demanded,
• Matthew 27:30They spat on Him, and they took the staff and beat Him over and over on the head.
• Mark 10:34They will mock Him and spit on Him, scourge Him and kill Him. Yet after three days, He will rise again!”
• Genesis 38:8Then Judah said to Onan, go to your brother’s wife to perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up a seed for your brother.
• Ruth 4:10Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased over his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the gate of his town. You are witnesses today.”
• 1 Samuel 2:30Therefore Adonai God of Israel declares, I indeed said that your house and your father’s house should walk before Me forever. But now declares Adonai, far be it from Me! For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disdained.

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