Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 25:8
Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak with him. If he persists and says, “I do not want to marry her,”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The elders of the city summon the brother-in-law after his widow formally accuses him of refusing levirate marriage. He stands before them and declares his refusal to marry her.
The words — עָמַד (ʿāmad) translates to "he will stand firm," describing his unyielding posture, while אָמַר (ʾāmar) means "he will say," introducing his explicit refusal.
The thread — The text describes a public refusal that triggers a formal ritual, paralleling the legal confrontation recorded in Ruth 4:6. Both passages show elders validating a kinsman's refusal before a widow performs a public shaming act.
Why it lands — The passage requires a clear, public acknowledgment of refusal before any ritual penalty can proceed. It demands that readers recognize legal processes must follow established civic protocols before consequences are applied.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;
Cross-references
- Ruth 4:6 The kinsman-redeemer replied, “I cannot redeem it myself, or I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I cannot redeem it.”