Deuteronomy 25:5-6

New Catholic Bible

Family Marriage.^[a] ⁵If brothers are living together, and one of them dies without having a son, then the widow of the deceased is not to marry outside of the family. Her husband’s brother will take her as his wife and thus perform the duty of her husband’s brother. ⁶The first son will bear the name of the deceased brother, so his name not be extinguished in Israel.

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Footnotes

Deuteronomy 25:5 The levirate (from Latin, levir, “husband’s brother”) was a common practice among many Eastern peoples (including the Assyrians and Hittites) and had for its purpose to ensure a posterity and, with this, the stability of inherited property (see the case proposed to Jesus by the Sadducees in Mt 22:23-26).

Deuteronomy 25:5-6

New International Version

⁵If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her.^(A) ⁶The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.^(B)

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Deuteronomy 25:5-6

English Standard Version

Laws Concerning Levirate Marriage

⁵^(A)“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 ^(B)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. ⁶And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that ^(C)his name may not be blotted out of Israel.

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