Deuteronomy 25:7 - 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.”
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What does "Deuteronomy 25:7" mean?
This verse, Deuteronomy 25:7, is part of a set of laws in the Hebrew Bible regarding levirate marriage. To understand it, you need the context of the surrounding verses (Deuteronomy 25:5-10).
Here's a breakdown of what it means:
Context: Levirate Marriage (Yibbum): The law of levirate marriage applied when a married man died without having fathered a son. The purpose was to preserve the deceased man's family line and inheritance.
"If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband's brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her." (Deuteronomy 25:5): This establishes the basic obligation. The deceased brother's brother (or, potentially, closest male relative if brothers weren't available) was expected to marry the widow.
Purpose of Levirate Marriage:
Continuing the Lineage: The first son born from this union would be considered the heir of the deceased brother, ensuring his name lived on and his property remained within his line.
Providing for the Widow: In ancient societies, widows were often vulnerable and lacked economic security. Levirate marriage provided her with a husband and a place in the family, securing her survival.
The Refusal (Deuteronomy 25:7): This verse addresses the situation where the living brother did not want to marry the widow. He had the right to refuse.
The Widow's Recourse:
"His brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders...": The "gate" was the public area where legal and communal matters were handled. The widow would present her case to the elders of the community.
"...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.”": She would explain that her brother-in-law was refusing to fulfill his levirate duty.
In essence, Deuteronomy 25:7 outlines the widow's course of action when her brother-in-law rejects the levirate marriage. She could appeal to the community elders, publicly stating his refusal to fulfill his obligation. The next verses detail the ceremony of chalitzah (removal of the shoe) which publicly formalized his refusal and freed her from the obligation to marry him.
Important Considerations:
Not Forced: The law acknowledges that the levirate marriage was not always desirable for the living brother. He wasn't forced into it.
Social Pressure and Stigma: Refusing to perform levirate marriage could bring social pressure and even a certain degree of stigma upon the brother who refused. The chalitzah ceremony (described in the following verses) was a public act of his refusal and carried some level of embarrassment.
Changed Interpretations: Over time, Jewish interpretations of this law evolved. In some modern interpretations, the ceremony of chalitzah has become more common than the actual levirate marriage. This is due to concerns about marrying someone without romantic feelings, the complexities of blending families and estates, and a different understanding of the importance of continuing a family line.
In short, Deuteronomy 25:7 recognizes the possibility of refusal within the levirate marriage system and provides a legal and social process for the widow to navigate this refusal, freeing her to remarry outside the family.
Deuteronomy 25:7 - 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.”
What does "Deuteronomy 25:7" mean?
This verse, Deuteronomy 25:7, is part of a set of laws in the Hebrew Bible regarding levirate marriage. To understand it, you need the context of the surrounding verses (Deuteronomy 25:5-10).
Here's a breakdown of what it means:
Context: Levirate Marriage (Yibbum): The law of levirate marriage applied when a married man died without having fathered a son. The purpose was to preserve the deceased man's family line and inheritance.
"If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband's brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her." (Deuteronomy 25:5): This establishes the basic obligation. The deceased brother's brother (or, potentially, closest male relative if brothers weren't available) was expected to marry the widow.
Purpose of Levirate Marriage:
Continuing the Lineage: The first son born from this union would be considered the heir of the deceased brother, ensuring his name lived on and his property remained within his line.
Providing for the Widow: In ancient societies, widows were often vulnerable and lacked economic security. Levirate marriage provided her with a husband and a place in the family, securing her survival.
The Refusal (Deuteronomy 25:7): This verse addresses the situation where the living brother did not want to marry the widow. He had the right to refuse.
The Widow's Recourse:
"His brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders...": The "gate" was the public area where legal and communal matters were handled. The widow would present her case to the elders of the community.
"...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.”": She would explain that her brother-in-law was refusing to fulfill his levirate duty.
In essence, Deuteronomy 25:7 outlines the widow's course of action when her brother-in-law rejects the levirate marriage. She could appeal to the community elders, publicly stating his refusal to fulfill his obligation. The next verses detail the ceremony of chalitzah (removal of the shoe) which publicly formalized his refusal and freed her from the obligation to marry him.
Important Considerations:
Not Forced: The law acknowledges that the levirate marriage was not always desirable for the living brother. He wasn't forced into it.
Social Pressure and Stigma: Refusing to perform levirate marriage could bring social pressure and even a certain degree of stigma upon the brother who refused. The chalitzah ceremony (described in the following verses) was a public act of his refusal and carried some level of embarrassment.
Changed Interpretations: Over time, Jewish interpretations of this law evolved. In some modern interpretations, the ceremony of chalitzah has become more common than the actual levirate marriage. This is due to concerns about marrying someone without romantic feelings, the complexities of blending families and estates, and a different understanding of the importance of continuing a family line.
In short, Deuteronomy 25:7 recognizes the possibility of refusal within the levirate marriage system and provides a legal and social process for the widow to navigate this refusal, freeing her to remarry outside the family.