Deuteronomy 25:5-10 NIV1984

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 Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:7

And the man like not to take his brother's wife ,.... The provision here made by this law, when this was the case, is such as did not take place before it became a law; for then Onan would have taken the advantage of it, and refused marrying his brother's wife, which it is plain was not agreeable to him, Genesis 38:9 ; as many do now on one account or another. Leo of Modena F12 Ut supra, sect. 3. (Leo Modena's History of Rites, &c.; l. 1 sect. 3.) says,"it was anciently accounted... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:8

Then the elders of his city shall call him ,.... Require him to come, before them, and declare his resolution, and the reasons for it; recite this law to him, and explain the nature of it, and exhort him to comply with it, or show reason why he does not, at least to have his final resolution upon it: and speak unto him ; talk with him upon this subject, and give him their best advice; and what that was Maimonides F15 Yebum Vechalitzab, c. 4. sect. 1. more particularly informs us;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:9

Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders ,.... The time and place being appointed the evening before by three Rabbins, and two witnesses, as Leo of Modena says F16 Ut supra, sect. 4. (Leo Modena's Hostory of Rites, &c.; l. 1. sect. 4.) ; of which she was apprized, and ordered to come tasting: and loose his shoe from off his foot ; his right foot, which was thus done;"they bring him a leather shoe, which has a heel, but not sewed with linen... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:10

And his name shall be called in Israel ,.... Not his particular and personal name, but his family; for it seems that not only a mark of infamy was set upon him for refusing to marry his brother's widow, but upon his family also: the house of him that hath his shoe loosed ; which, as Leo of Modena says F19 History, ut supra, sect. 5. (Leo Modena's History of Rites, &c.; l. 1. sect. 5.) , was repeated by her three times; and at every time the people with a loud voice answer and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 25:9

And 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 detestation of a person to the... 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

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

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

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:10

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 25:9

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

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 25:5

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