Deuteronomy 25:5-6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:5-12

Here is, I. The law settled concerning the marrying of the brother's widow. It appears from the story of Judah's family that this had been an ancient usage (Gen. 38:8), for the keeping up of distinct families. The case put is a case that often happens, of a man's dying without issue, it may be in the prime of his time, soon after his marriage, and while his brethren were yet so young as to be unmarried. Now in this case, 1. The widow was not to marry again into any other family, unless all the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:5

If brethren dwell together ,.... Not only in the same country, province, town, or city, but in the same house; such who had been from their youth brought up together in their father's house, and now one of them being married, as the case put supposes, they that were unmarried might live with him, and especially if the father was dead; and so may except such as were abroad, and in foreign countries, or at such a distance that this law coals not well be observed by them; though the Targum of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:6

And it shall be that the firstborn that she beareth ,.... To her husband's brother, now married to her: shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead ; the meaning is, as the Targum of Jonathan,"he shall rise up in the inheritance in the name of his brother;'or, as Jarchi expresses it,"he shall take the inheritance of the deceased in the goods of his father;'that is, he shall have his part and share in the inheritance that the deceased brother would have had if he had lived,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 25:5

Verse 5 5.If brethren dwell together, and one of them die. This law has some similarity with that which permits a betrothed person to return to the wife, whom he has not yet taken; since the object of both is to preserve to every man what he possesses, so that he may not be obliged to leave it to strangers, but that he may have heirs begotten of his own body: for, when a son succeeds to the father, whom he represents, there seems to be hardly any change made. Hence, too, it is manifest how... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:5

Dwell together ; i . e . not necessarily in the same house, but in the same community or place (cf. Genesis 13:6 ; Genesis 26:7 ). And have no child ; literally, have no son; but this is rightly interpreted as meaning child ( so the LXX .; Vulgate; Josephus, 'Antiq.,' 4.8, 23; Matthew 22:25 ; Maimon; 'In Jibbum.,' 2.6-9); for, if the deceased left a daughter, the perpetuation of the family and the retention of the property might be secured through her (cf. Numbers 27:4 ,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:5-10

Levirate marriages . If a man who was married died without issue, his surviving brother was required to marry the widow, so as to raise up a successor to the deceased, who should be his heir. The brother who refused this duty must be publicly disgraced. The design of this institution—which was not originated by Moses, but came down from early times ( Genesis 38:8 ), and is to be found amongst ether nations than the Jews, and that even in the present day—was to preserve a family from... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:5-10

Family honor to be maintained. This law supposes a state of society and a kind of public opinion which does not now exist, and in detail it is therefore obsolete. But the principle it involves is clear, viz. that in married life the honor of the family on both sides is an object of mutual interest and concern, not only during the events of life, but also in case of arrangements at and after death. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:5-10

The levitate law. At the root of this law, which obtained widely in the East, we find ideas and feelings such as these— I. RESPECT FOR THE HONOR OF THE FAMILY . In the East, as is well known, childlessness is reckoned a calamity, almost a disgrace. Hence, as well as for other reasons, the severity of the law in Deuteronomy 25:11 . Hence also this custom of marrying a brother's widow, in order to raise up seed to the brother. The motive is plainly to avert disgrace from... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:5-10

The rights of the firstborn. We have already observed that the firstborn had a right to a double share of the family inheritance ( Deuteronomy 21:17 ). We have before us another of his rights—a seed was to be raised up unto him by his younger brothers, that his name should not be put out in Israel. In a peasant proprietary such as existed in Palestine, we can easily understand the importance of such a regulation. It was, moreover, esteemed a most disgraceful act to refuse to raise up... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:6

Shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead ; literally, shall rise up on the name of his deceased brother ; i . e . shall be enrolled in the family register as heir of the deceased, and shall perpetuate his name. read more

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