Deuteronomy 25:9 net — then his sister-in-law must approach him in view of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face.…

NET Bible

"then his sister-in-law must approach him in view of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face. She will then respond,“Thus may it be done to any man who does not maintain his brother’s family line!”"

— Deuteronomy 25:9, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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Deuteronomy 25:9 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house.”

  • ASV

    “then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face; and she shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto the man that doth not build up his brother’s house. ”

  • WEB

    “then his brother's wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face; and she shall answer and say, "So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother's house."”

  • DRB

    “The woman shall come to him before the ancients, and shall take off his shoe from his foot, and spit in his face, and say: So shall it be done to the man that will not build up his brother's house:”

  • BBE

    “Then his brother's wife is to come to him, before the responsible men of the town, and take his shoe off his foot, and put shame on him, and say, So let it be done to the man who will not take care of his brother's name.”

  • KJVA

    “Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house.”

Deuteronomy 25 — Context

6

Then the first son she bears will continue the name of the dead brother, thus preventing his name from being blotted out of Israel.

7

But if the man does not want to marry his brother’s widow, then she must go to the elders at the town gate and say,“My husband’s brother refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel; he is unwilling to perform the duty of a brother-in-law to me!”

8

Then the elders of his city must summon him and speak to him. If he persists, saying,“I don’t want to marry her,”

9

then his sister-in-law must approach him in view of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face. She will then respond,“Thus may it be done to any man who does not maintain his brother’s family line!”

10

His family name will be referred to in Israel as“the family of the one whose sandal was removed.”

11

If two men get into a hand-to-hand fight, and the wife of one of them gets involved to help her husband against his attacker, and she reaches out her hand and grabs his private parts,

12

then you must cut off her hand– do not pity her.

Deuteronomy 25:9 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Deuteronomy 25:9 say?
Deuteronomy 25:9 in the NET Bible reads: “then his sister-in-law must approach him in view of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face. She will then respond,“Thus may it be done to any man who does not maintain his brother’s family line!””
Where is Deuteronomy 25:9 in the Bible?
Deuteronomy 25:9 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 25, verse 9.
Who wrote Deuteronomy?
Deuteronomy is traditionally attributed to Moses (traditional). Largely framed as Moses' farewell speeches; the closing chapter narrating his death was likely added by Joshua or a later editor. It was written c. 1406 BC.
What is the book of Deuteronomy about?
Deuteronomy is Moses' final sermons to Israel before they enter the Promised Land — a renewed call to love and obey the LORD. It re-states the Law, rehearses Israel's history, and lays before the people blessing for obedience and curse for rebellion.
What are the major themes of Deuteronomy?
Deuteronomy explores themes including Covenant, Love, Obedience, Remembrance, Blessing & Curse. These themes shape the meaning and context of Deuteronomy 25:9.
What translation should I read Deuteronomy 25:9 in?
Deuteronomy 25:9 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Deuteronomy 25:9?
Deuteronomy 25:9 reads (NET): “then his sister-in-law must approach him in view of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face. She will then respond,“Thus may it be done to any man who does not maintain his brother’s family line!”” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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