Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 25:5–9

⁵When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for her.^b ⁶The first son she bears will carry on the name of the dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.

⁷But if the man does not want to marry his brother’s widow, she is to go to the elders at the city gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel. He is not willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.”

⁸Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak with him. If he persists and says, “I do not want to marry her,” ⁹his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal, spit in his face, and declare, “This is what is done to the man who will not maintain his brother’s line.”

Footnotes

b 25:5 Cited in Matthew 22:24|MAT 22:24, Mark 12:19, and Luke 20:28

Read all of Deuteronomy 25

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Deuteronomy 25:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
brothers	אַחִ֜ים	’a·ḥîm	Noun - masculine plural	H251 brother
dwell	יֵשְׁב֨וּ	yê·šə·ḇū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
together	יַחְדָּ֗ו	yaḥ·dāw	Adverb	H3162 unitedness
and one	אַחַ֤ד	’a·ḥaḏ	Number - masculine singular	H259 one
of them	מֵהֶם֙	mê·hem	Preposition-m; Pronoun - third person masculine plural
dies	וּמֵ֨ת	ū·mêṯ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H4191 die
without	אֵֽין־	’ên-	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
a son	וּבֵ֣ן	ū·ḇên	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H1121 son
the widow	אֵֽשֶׁת־	’ê·šeṯ-	Noun - feminine singular construct	H802 woman, wife, female
must not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
marry	תִהְיֶ֧ה	ṯih·yeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
outside	הַח֖וּצָה	ha·ḥū·ṣāh	Article; Noun - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H2351 the outside
Her husband’s brother	יְבָמָהּ֙	yə·ḇā·māh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H2993 husband's brother
is to take her	וּלְקָחָ֥הּ	ū·lə·qā·ḥāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H3947 take
as his	ל֛וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
wife	לְאִשָּׁ֖ה	lə·’iš·šāh	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for her	וְיִבְּמָֽהּ׃	wə·yib·bə·māh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H2992 marry

Deuteronomy 25:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The first son	הַבְּכוֹר֙	hab·bə·ḵō·wr	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1060 first-born
she bears	תֵּלֵ֔ד	tê·lêḏ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
will carry	יָק֕וּם	yā·qūm	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the name	שֵׁ֥ם	šêm	Noun - masculine singular construct	H8034 name
of the dead	הַמֵּ֑ת	ham·mêṯ	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H4191 die
brother	אָחִ֖יו	’ā·ḥîw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
so that his name	שְׁמ֖וֹ	šə·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H8034 name
will not	וְלֹֽא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
be blotted out	יִמָּחֶ֥ה	yim·mā·ḥeh	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H4229 wipe, wipe out
from Israel	מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃	mî·yiś·rā·’êl	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel

Deuteronomy 25:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But if	וְאִם־	wə·’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
the man	הָאִ֔ישׁ	hā·’îš	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
does not	לֹ֤א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
want	יַחְפֹּץ֙	yaḥ·pōṣ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2654 delight in
to marry	לָקַ֖חַת	lā·qa·ḥaṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3947 take
his brother’s widow	יְבִמְתּ֑וֹ	yə·ḇim·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2994 sister-in-law
she	יְבִמְתּ֨וֹ	yə·ḇim·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2994 sister-in-law
is to go	וְעָלְתָה֩	wə·‘ā·lə·ṯāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the elders	הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים	haz·zə·qê·nîm	Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H2205 old
at the city gate	הַשַּׁ֜עְרָה	haš·ša‘·rāh	Article; Noun - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H8179 gate
and say	וְאָֽמְרָה֙	wə·’ā·mə·rāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say
My husband’s brother	יְבָמִ֜י	yə·ḇā·mî	Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H2993 husband's brother
refuses	מֵאֵ֨ין	mê·’ên	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3985 refuse
to preserve	לְהָקִ֨ים	lə·hā·qîm	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
his brother’s	לְאָחִ֥יו	lə·’ā·ḥîw	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
name	שֵׁם֙	šêm	Noun - masculine singular	H8034 name
in Israel	בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל	bə·yiś·rā·’êl	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
He is not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
willing	אָבָ֖ה	’ā·ḇāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H14 be willing, consent
to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me	יַבְּמִֽי׃	yab·bə·mî	Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H2992 marry

Deuteronomy 25:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then the elders	זִקְנֵי־	ziq·nê-	Adjective - masculine plural construct	H2205 old
of his city	עִיר֖וֹ	‘î·rōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5892 excitement
shall summon	וְקָֽרְאוּ־	wə·qā·rə·’ū-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H7121 call, proclaim, read
him	ל֥וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
and speak	וְדִבְּר֣וּ	wə·ḏib·bə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H1696 speak
with him	אֵלָ֑יו	’ê·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H413 motion to
If he persists	וְעָמַ֣ד	wə·‘ā·maḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H5975 take one's stand, stand
and says	וְאָמַ֔ר	wə·’ā·mar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
I do not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
want	חָפַ֖צְתִּי	ḥā·p̄aṣ·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H2654 delight in
to marry her	לְקַחְתָּֽהּ׃	lə·qaḥ·tāh	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person feminine singular	H3947 take

Deuteronomy 25:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
his brother’s widow	יְבִמְתּ֣וֹ	yə·ḇim·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2994 sister-in-law
shall go up	וְנִגְּשָׁ֨ה	wə·nig·gə·šāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H5066 draw near, approach
to him	אֵלָיו֮	’ê·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H413 motion to
in the presence	לְעֵינֵ֣י	lə·‘ê·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - cdc	H5869 eye
of the elders	הַזְּקֵנִים֒	haz·zə·qê·nîm	Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H2205 old
remove	וְחָלְצָ֤ה	wə·ḥā·lə·ṣāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H2502 draw off or out, withdraw
his sandal	נַעֲלוֹ֙	na·‘ă·lōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5275 sandal, shoe
spit	וְיָרְקָ֖ה	wə·yā·rə·qāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H3417 spit
in his face	בְּפָנָ֑יו	bə·p̄ā·nāw	Preposition-b; Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6440 face, before
and declare	וְאָ֣מְרָ֔ה	wə·’ā·mə·rāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say
This is what	כָּ֚כָה	kā·ḵāh	Adverb	H3602 thus
is done	יֵעָשֶׂ֣ה	yê·‘ā·śeh	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
to the man	לָאִ֔ישׁ	lā·’îš	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
who	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
will not	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
maintain	יִבְנֶ֖ה	yiḇ·neh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1129 build
his brother’s	אָחִֽיו	ʾå̄·ḥīw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
line	בֵּ֥ית	bêṯ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house