Levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-10)

62 Custom

In this passage, the practice of levirate marriage is described. This custom instructs that if a man dies without having any children, his brother is expected to marry his widow in order to provide an heir for the deceased brother.

The passage displays that if a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have children with her. The first son that they have together will be regarded as the son of the deceased brother, and the inheritance of the deceased brother will pass to this son. If the brother is unwilling to marry the widow, she can take off his sandal and spit in his face as a sign of disgrace, and the matter will be settled publicly. It is an act of shame not to follow the custom.

The purpose of this custom was to ensure that a man's family line would continue even if he died without children. It was also a way to provide for widows who might otherwise be left without a husband or means of support.

Vocabulary

Word Meaning
כִּי for, that, when
ישׁב sit, sit down, dwell, be inhabited
אָח brother
יַחְדָּו together, alike
וְ and
מות die
אֶחָד one (masculine)
מִן from, out of
הֵם they
בֵּן son
אַיִן there is not; non-existence
לְ to
הוּא he
לֹא not
היה to be, become
אִשָּׁה woman; each woman
הַ definite article
חוּץ the outside, street
אִישׁ man; somebody; human being; each one
זָר other, strange
יָבָם husband's brother
הִיא she
בוא bring; let come
עַל upon, above; against
לקח take, grasp, seize
יבם do the duty of husband's brother
בְּכֹר firstborn
אֲשֶׁר that, which
ילד beget, give birth
קום stand up, stand
שֵׁם name
מחה wipe out, blot out, exterminate
יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel
אִם if; when
חפץ delight
אֵת accusative

Biblical text

25:5כִּֽי־יֵשְׁב֨וּ אַחִ֜ים יַחְדָּ֗ו וּמֵ֨ת אַחַ֤ד מֵהֶם֙ וּבֵ֣ן אֵֽין־ל֔וֹ לֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֧ה אֵֽשֶׁת־הַמֵּ֛ת הַח֖וּצָה לְאִ֣ישׁ זָ֑ר יְבָמָהּ֙ יָבֹ֣א עָלֶ֔יהָ וּלְקָחָ֥הּ ל֛וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֖ה וְיִבְּמָֽהּ׃6וְהָיָ֗ה הַבְּכוֹר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּלֵ֔ד יָק֕וּם עַל־שֵׁ֥ם אָחִ֖יו הַמֵּ֑ת וְלֹֽא־יִמָּחֶ֥ה שְׁמ֖וֹ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃7וְאִם־לֹ֤א יַחְפֹּץ֙ הָאִ֔ישׁ לָקַ֖חַת אֶת־יְבִמְתּ֑וֹ וְעָלְתָה֩ יְבִמְתּ֨וֹ הַשַּׁ֜עְרָה אֶל־הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים וְאָֽמְרָה֙ מֵאֵ֨ין יְבָמִ֜י לְהָקִ֨ים לְאָחִ֥יו שֵׁם֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א אָבָ֖ה יַבְּמִֽי׃8וְקָֽרְאוּ־ל֥וֹ זִקְנֵי־עִיר֖וֹ וְדִבְּר֣וּ אֵלָ֑יו וְעָמַ֣ד וְאָמַ֔ר לֹ֥א חָפַ֖צְתִּי לְקַחְתָּֽהּ׃9וְנִגְּשָׁ֨ה יְבִמְתּ֣וֹ אֵלָיו֮ לְעֵינֵ֣י הַזְּקֵנִים֒ וְחָלְצָ֤ה נַעֲלוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְל֔וֹ וְיָרְקָ֖ה בְּפָנָ֑יו וְעָֽנְתָה֙ וְאָ֣מְרָ֔ה כָּ֚כָה יֵעָשֶׂ֣ה לָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יִבְנֶ֖ה אֶת־בֵּ֥ית אָחִֽיו10וְנִקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בֵּ֖ית חֲל֥וּץ הַנָּֽעַל׃ ס