Add parallel Print Page Options

But suppose the man doesn’t want to marry his brother’s wife. Then she will go to the elders at the gate of the town. She will say, “My husband’s brother refuses to keep his brother’s name alive in Israel. He won’t do for me what a brother-in-law is supposed to do.” Then the elders in his town will send for him. They will talk to him. But he still might say, “I don’t want to marry her.” Then his brother’s widow will go up to him in front of the elders. She’ll pull one of his sandals off his foot. She’ll spit in his face. And she’ll say, “That’s what we do to a man who won’t build up his brother’s family line.”

Read full chapter

However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife,(A) she shall go to the elders at the town gate(B) 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.”(C) Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals,(D) spit in his face(E) and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.”

Read full chapter