Laws Concerning Levirate Marriage
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e "If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her f 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.
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And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that g his name may not be blotted out of Israel.
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And if the man does not wish to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall h 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.'
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Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, i 'I do not wish to take her,'
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then his brother's wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and j pull his sandal off his foot and k spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, 'So shall it be done to the man who does not l build up his brother's house.'
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And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, 'The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.'
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Cross References
Matthew 22:24
Saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.
Mark 12:19
Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.
Luke 20:28
And they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.
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Cross References
Genesis 38:8 - 9
Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.
Ruth 1:12 - 13
Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons.
Ruth 3:9
He said, "Who are you?" And she answered, "I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.
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Cross References
Ruth 4:10
Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.
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Cross References
Ruth 4:1 - 2
Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, "Turn aside, friend; sit down here." And he turned aside and sat down.
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Cross References
Ruth 4:6
Then the redeemer said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.
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Cross References
Ruth 4:7
Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel.
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Cross References
Numbers 12:14
But the Lord said to Moses, "If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.
Job 30:10
They abhor me; they keep aloof from me; they do not hesitate to spit at the sight of me.
Isaiah 50:6
I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.
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Cross References
Ruth 4:11
Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, "We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.