King James Version

Deuteronomy 25:7

And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother.

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Hebrew

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וְאִםveimand oh thatאִםconjunction, conjunction — “and oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…לֹ֤אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יַחְפֹּץ֙yachpotsdesireחָפֵץverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “desire”, an unfinished actionH2654properly, to incline to; by implication (literally but rarely) to bend; figuratively, to be pleased with, desire[idiom] any at all, (have, take) delight, desire, favour, like, move, be (well) pleased, have pleasure, will, would.הָאִ֔ישׁhaishthe a certainאִישׁdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the a certain”, the ordinary formH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…לָקַ֖חַתlaqachatto takeלָקַחpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to take”, the to-form of the verbH3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).יְבִמְתּ֑וֹyevimtvosister in lawיְבֵמֶתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “sister in law”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2994a sister-in-lawbrother's wife, sister in law.וְעָלְתָה֩vealetahand ascend upעָלָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and ascend up”, a completed action in a sequenceH5927to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurativearise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make t…יְבִמְתּ֨וֹyevimtvosister in lawיְבֵמֶתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “sister in law”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2994a sister-in-lawbrother's wife, sister in law.הַשַּׁ֜עְרָהhasharahthe doorשַׁעַרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute, directional ending — “the door”, the ordinary formH8179an opening, i.e. door or gatecity, door, gate, port ([idiom] -er).אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).הַזְּקֵנִ֗יםhazqenimthe oldזָקֵןdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “the old”, the ordinary formH2205oldaged, ancient (man), elder(-est), old (man, men and...women), senator.וְאָֽמְרָה֙veamerahand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and say”, a completed action in a sequenceH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…מֵאֵ֨יןmeeynrefuseמָאֵןverb, piel, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “refuse”, a completed actionH3985to refuserefuse, [idiom] utterly.יְבָמִ֜יyevamihusband's brotherיָבָםnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “husband's brother”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2993a brotherin-lawhusband's brother.לְהָקִ֨יםlehaqimto riseקוּםpreposition, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct — “to rise”, the to-form of the verbH6965to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)abide, accomplish, [idiom] be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, [idiom] be dim, endure, [idiom] enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, [idiom] but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (u…לְאָחִ֥יוleachivto brother ; kindredאָחpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to brother ; kindred”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH251a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father))another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with 'Ah-' or 'Ahi-'.שֵׁם֙shemfameשֵׁםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “fame”, the ordinary formH8034an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character[phrase] base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לbeyisraelin Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלpreposition, noun, proper name — “in Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.לֹ֥אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…אָבָ֖הavahbe willingאָבָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be willing”, a completed actionH14to breathe after, i.e. (figuratively) to be acquiescentconsent, rest content will, be willing.יַבְּמִֽיyabmimarryיָבַםverb, piel, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “marry”, the to-form of the verbH2992to marry a (deceased) brother's widowperform the duty of a husband's brother, marry.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to the gate unto the elders, and say: 'My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother unto me.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother unto me.

Young’s Literal Translation

'And if the man doth not delight to take his brother's wife, then hath his brother's wife gone up to the gate, unto the elders, and said, My husband's brother is refusing to raise up to his brother a name in Israel; he hath not been willing to perform the duty of my husband's brother;

World English Bible

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.”

Darby Translation

But if the man like not to take his brother's wife, his brother's wife shall go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel: he will not perform for me the duty of a husband's brother.

Douay-Rheims

But if he will not take his brother’s wife, who by law belongeth to him, the woman shall go to the gate of the city, and call upon the ancients, and say: My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up his brother’s name in Israel: and will not take me to wife.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And if the man should not be willing to take his brother's wife, then shall the woman go up to the gate to the elders, and she shall say, My husband's brother will not raise up the name of his brother in Israel, my husband's brother has refused.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐὰν δὲ μὴ βούληται ὁ ἄνθρωπος λαβεῖν τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀναβήσεται ἡ γυνὴ ἐπὶ τὴν πύλην ἐπὶ τὴν γερουσίαν, καὶ ἐρεῖ, οὐ θέλει ὁ ἀδελφὸς τοῦ ἀνδρός μου ἀναστῆσαι τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐν Ἰσραήλ, οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ὁ ἀδελφὸς τοῦ ἀνδρός μου.