Deuteronomy 25:7
New International Version
However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.”

New Living Translation
“But if the man refuses to marry his brother’s widow, she must go to the town gate and say to the elders assembled there, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel—he refuses to fulfill the duties of a brother-in-law by marrying me.’

English Standard Version
And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’

Berean Standard Bible
But 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.”

King James Bible
And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother.

New King James Version
But if the man does not want to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate to the elders, and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to raise up a name to his brother in Israel; he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother.’

New American Standard Bible
But if the man does not desire to take his brother’s widow, then his brother’s widow shall go up to the gate to the elders, and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’

NASB 1995
“But if the man does not desire to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’

NASB 1977
“But if the man does not desire to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’

Legacy Standard Bible
But if the man does not desire to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to raise up a name for his brother in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’

Amplified Bible
But if the man does not want to marry his brother’s [widowed] wife, then she shall go up to the gate [of the city, where court is held] to the elders, and say, ‘My brother-in-law refuses to continue his brother’s name in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother.’

Christian Standard Bible
But if the man doesn’t want to marry his sister-in-law, she is to go to the elders at the city gate and say, ‘My brother-in-law refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel. He isn’t willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But if the man doesn’t want to marry his sister-in-law, she must go to the elders at the city gate and say, ‘My brother-in-law refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel. He isn’t willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.’

American Standard Version
And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother unto me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And if a man does not want to take the wife of his brother, the wife of his brother shall go up to the gate to the Elders and she shall say: 'My husband's brother does not want to establish his brother's name in Israel and does not want to marry me'.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And if the man should not be willing to take his brother's wife, then shall the woman go up to the gate to the elders, and she shall say, My husband's brother will not raise up the name of his brother in Israel, my husband's brother has refused.

Contemporary English Version
But suppose the brother refuses to marry the widow. She must go to a meeting of the town leaders at the town gate and say, "My husband died without having a son to carry on his name. And my husband's brother refuses to marry me so I can have a son."

Douay-Rheims Bible
But if he will not take his brother's wife, who by law belongeth to him, the woman shall go to the gate of the city, and call upon the ancients, and say: My husband's brother refuseth to raise up his brother's name in Israel: and will not take me to wife.

English Revised Version
And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of an husband's brother unto me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But if the man doesn't want to marry his brother's widow, she must go to the leaders of the city at the city gate. She must say, "My brother-in-law refuses to let his brother's name continue in Israel. He doesn't want to do his duty as my brother-in-law."

Good News Translation
But if the dead man's brother does not want to marry her, she is to go before the town leaders and say, 'My husband's brother will not do his duty; he refuses to give his brother a descendant among the people of Israel.'

International Standard Version
But if the man does not want to marry his brother's widow, then she must go to the elders at the city gate and declare, 'My husband's brother refuses to perform the duty of a brother-in-law in order to preserve the name of his brother in Israel. He is not willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law.'

JPS Tanakh 1917
And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to the gate unto the elders, and say: 'My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother unto me.'

Literal Standard Version
And if the man does not delight to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife has gone up to the gate, to the elderly, and said, My husband’s brother is refusing to raise up a name for his brother in Israel; he has not been willing to perform the duty of my husband’s brother;

Majority Standard Bible
But 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.”

New American Bible
But if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go up to the elders at the gate and say, “My brother-in-law refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel and does not intend to perform his duty toward me.”

NET Bible
But if the man does not want to marry his brother's widow, then she must go to the elders at the town gate and say, "My husband's brother refuses to preserve his brother's name in Israel; he is unwilling to perform the duty of a brother-in-law to me!"

New Revised Standard Version
But if the man has no desire to marry his brother’s widow, then his brother’s widow shall go up to the elders at the gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.”

New Heart English Bible
If the man doesn't want to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to the gate to the elders, and say, "My husband's brother refuses to raise up to his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother to me."

Webster's Bible Translation
And if the man shall not like to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate to the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up to his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother.

World English Bible
If the man doesn’t want to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders, and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to raise up to his brother a name in Israel. He will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.”

Young's Literal Translation
'And if the man doth not delight to take his brother's wife, then hath his brother's wife gone up to the gate, unto the elders, and said, My husband's brother is refusing to raise up to his brother a name in Israel; he hath not been willing to perform the duty of my husband's brother;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Widowhood and Marriage
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,”…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 25:8
Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak with him. If he persists and says, "I do not want to marry her,"

Ruth 4:5
Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the land from Naomi and also from Ruth the Moabitess, you must also acquire the widow of the deceased in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance."

Ruth 4:6
The kinsman-redeemer replied, "I cannot redeem it myself, or I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I cannot redeem it."


Treasury of Scripture

And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate to the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuses to raise up to his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother.

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Brother's Desire Duty Elders Establish Husband's Israel Perform Raise Refuses Refuseth Want Wife Willing
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Brother's Desire Duty Elders Establish Husband's Israel Perform Raise Refuses Refuseth Want Wife Willing
Deuteronomy 25
1. Punishment must not exceed forty lashes
4. The ox is not to be muzzled
5. Of raising seed unto a brother
11. Of the immodest woman
13. Of unjust weights and measures
17. The memory of Amalek is to be blotted out














Verses 7-10. - If the man refused to marry the widow of his deceased brother, he was free to do so; but the woman had her redress. She was to bring the matter before the eiders of the town, sitting as magistrates at the gate, and they were to summon the man and speak to him, and if he persisted in his refusal, the woman was to take his shoe from off his foot, and spit before his face, and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house. The taking off of the shoe of the man by the woman was an act of indignity to him; it amounted to a declaration that he was not worthy to stand in his brother's place, and was scornfully rejected by the woman herself. As the planting of the shod foot on a piece of property, or the casting of the shoe over a field, was emblematical of taking possession of it with satisfaction (Psalm 60:8; Psalm 108:9); and as the voluntary handing of one's shoe to another betokened the giving up to that other of some property or right; so, contrariwise, the forcible removal from one of his shoe and the casting of it aside indicated contemptuous rejection of the owner, and repudiation of all his rights and claims in the matter. To walk barefooted was regarded by the Jews as ignominious and miserable (cf. Isaiah 20:2, 4; 2 Samuel 15:30). The spitting before the face of the man (בְּפָנַיו in front of him) is by the Jewish interpreters understood of spitting on the ground in his presence (Talmud, 'Jebam.,' 106; Madmen., 'In Jibbum.,' 4:6-8). This seems to be what the words express (cf. Deuteronomy 4:37; Deuteronomy 7:24; Deuteronomy 11:25; Joshua 10:8; Ezekiel 10:8, for the rendering of בפני); and this, according to Oriental notions, would be insult enough (cf. Numbers 12:14; Isaiah 1:6; Niebuhr, ' Description de l'Arabie,' 1:49).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But if
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

the man
הָאִ֔ישׁ (hā·’îš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

does not
לֹ֤א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

want
יַחְפֹּץ֙ (yaḥ·pōṣ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2654: To incline to, to bend, to be pleased with, desire

to marry
לָקַ֖חַת (lā·qa·ḥaṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3947: To take

his brother’s widow,
יְבִמְתּ֑וֹ (yə·ḇim·tōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2994: A sister-in-law

she
יְבִמְתּ֨וֹ (yə·ḇim·tōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2994: A sister-in-law

is to go
וְעָלְתָה֩ (wə·‘ā·lə·ṯāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the elders
הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים (haz·zə·qê·nîm)
Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 2205: Old

at the city gate
הַשַּׁ֜עְרָה (haš·ša‘·rāh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

and say,
וְאָֽמְרָה֙ (wə·’ā·mə·rāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“My husband’s brother
יְבָמִ֜י (yə·ḇā·mî)
Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 2993: Husband's brother

refuses
מֵאֵ֨ין (mê·’ên)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3985: To refuse

to preserve
לְהָקִ֨ים (lə·hā·qîm)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

his brother’s
לְאָחִ֥יו (lə·’ā·ḥîw)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )

name
שֵׁם֙ (šêm)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8034: A name

in Israel.
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (bə·yiś·rā·’êl)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

He is not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

willing
אָבָ֖ה (’ā·ḇāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 14: To breathe after, to be acquiescent

to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.�
יַבְּמִֽי׃ (yab·bə·mî)
Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 2992: To perform the duty of a husband's brother


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 25:7 If the man doesn't want to take (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 25:6
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