5 If brethren H251 dwell H3427 together, H3162 and one H259 of them die, H4191 and have no child, H1121 the wife H802 of the dead H4191 shall not marry without H2351 unto a stranger: H376 H2114 her husband's brother H2993 shall go in H935 unto her, and take H3947 her to him to wife, H802 and perform the duty of an husband's brother H2992 unto her.
Saying, G3004 Master, G1320 Moses G3475 said, G2036 If G1437 a man G5100 die, G599 having G2192 no G3361 children, G5043 his G846 brother G80 shall marry G1918 his G846 wife, G1135 and G2532 raise up G450 seed G4690 unto his G846 brother. G80
Master, G1320 Moses G3475 wrote G1125 unto us, G2254 If G3754 G1437 a man's G5100 brother G80 die, G599 and G2532 leave G2641 his wife G1135 behind him, and G2532 leave G863 no G3361 children, G5043 that G2443 his G846 brother G80 should take G2983 his G846 wife, G1135 and G2532 raise up G1817 seed G4690 unto his G846 brother. G80
Saying, G3004 Master, G1320 Moses G3475 wrote G1125 unto us, G2254 If G1437 any man's G5100 brother G80 die, G599 having G2192 a wife, G1135 and G2532 he G3778 die G599 without children, G815 that G2443 his G846 brother G80 should take G2983 his wife, G1135 and G2532 raise up G1817 seed G4690 unto his G846 brother. G80
And Judah H3063 said H559 unto Onan, H209 Go in H935 unto thy brother's H251 wife, H802 and marry H2992 her, and raise up H6965 seed H2233 to thy brother. H251 And Onan H209 knew H3045 that the seed H2233 should not be his; and it came to pass, when H518 he went in H935 unto his brother's H251 wife, H802 that he spilled H7843 it on the ground, H776 lest H1115 that he should give H5414 seed H2233 to his brother. H251
Turn again, H7725 my daughters, H1323 go H3212 your way; for I am too old H2204 to have an husband. H376 If I should say, H559 I have H3426 hope, H8615 if I should have an husband H376 also to night, H3915 and should also bear H3205 sons; H1121 Would ye tarry H7663 for them H3860 till they were grown? H1431 would ye stay H5702 for them H3860 from having husbands? H376 nay, my daughters; H1323 for it grieveth H4843 me much H3966 for your sakes that the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 is gone out H3318 against me.
Then said H559 Boaz, H1162 What day H3117 thou buyest H7069 the field H7704 of the hand H3027 of Naomi, H5281 thou must buy H7069 it also of Ruth H7327 the Moabitess, H4125 the wife H802 of the dead, H4191 to raise up H6965 the name H8034 of the dead H4191 upon his inheritance. H5159
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 25
Commentary on Deuteronomy 25 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 25
De 25:1-19. Stripes Must Not Exceed Forty.
2, 3. if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten—In judicial sentences, which awarded punishment short of capital, scourging, like the Egyptian bastinado, was the most common form in which they were executed. The Mosaic law, however, introduced two important restrictions; namely: (1) The punishment should be inflicted in presence of the judge instead of being inflicted in private by some heartless official; and (2) The maximum amount of it should be limited to forty stripes, instead of being awarded according to the arbitrary will or passion of the magistrate. The Egyptian, like Turkish and Chinese rulers, often applied the stick till they caused death or lameness for life. Of what the scourge consisted at first we are not informed; but in later times, when the Jews were exceedingly scrupulous in adhering to the letter of the law and, for fear of miscalculation, were desirous of keeping within the prescribed limit, it was formed of three cords, terminating in leathern thongs, and thirteen strokes of this counted as thirty-nine stripes (2Co 11:24).
4. Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn—In Judea, as in modern Syria and Egypt, the larger grains were beaten out by the feet of oxen, which, yoked together, day after day trod round the wide open spaces which form the threshing-floors. The animals were allowed freely to pick up a mouthful, when they chose to do so: a wise as well as humane regulation, introduced by the law of Moses (compare 1Co 9:9; 1Ti 5:17, 18).
5-10. the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother … shall take her to him to wife—This usage existed before the age of Moses (Ge 38:8). But the Mosaic law rendered the custom obligatory (Mt 22:25) on younger brothers, or the nearest kinsman, to marry the widow (Ru 4:4), by associating the natural desire of perpetuating a brother's name with the preservation of property in the Hebrew families and tribes. If the younger brother declined to comply with the law, the widow brought her claim before the authorities of the place at a public assembly (the gate of the city); and he having declared his refusal, she was ordered to loose the thong of his shoe—a sign of degradation—following up that act by spitting on the ground—the strongest expression of ignominy and contempt among Eastern people. The shoe was kept by the magistrate as an evidence of the transaction, and the parties separated.
13-16. Thou shalt not have … divers weights—Weights were anciently made of stone and are frequently used still by Eastern shopkeepers and traders, who take them out of the bag and put them in the balance. The man who is not cheated by the trader and his bag of divers weights must be blessed with more acuteness than most of his fellows [Roberts]. (Compare Pr 16:11; 20:10).
17-19. Remember what Amalek did—This cold-blooded and dastardly atrocity is not narrated in the previous history (Ex 17:14). It was an unprovoked outrage on the laws of nature and humanity, as well as a daring defiance of that God who had so signally shown His favor towards Israel (see on 1 Samuel 15; 27. 8; 30).