H2992 H2992
to perform levirate duty, marry brother's widow
To fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law (yabam) by marrying one's deceased brother's childless widow. This ancient Near Eastern custom aimed to preserve the dead brother's name and inheritance by raising up offspring through the widow. The Piel verb appears in contexts where this obligation is commanded or discussed. Genesis records Judah commanding Onan to perform this duty for Tamar. Deuteronomy legislates the practice, including provision for refusal. The custom involved complex family, economic, and social dynamics, balancing concern for the widow, preservation of lineage, and property rights.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To perform levirate duty by marrying a deceased brother's widow. Genesis 38:8 records Judah commanding Onan: 'go to your brother's wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her.' Deuteronomy 25:5 legislates: 'her husband's brother shall perform levirate duty with her.' Deuteronomy 25:7 allows refusal: 'if the brother-in-law refuses to perform levirate duty with me.' The technical nature of this family obligation creates translation challenges, with Romance languages using 'marry as brother-in-law' (Spanish desposar/cumplir cuñado) and English maintaining 'perform levirate duty.' 3×
AR["وَ-تَزَوَّجْهَا-يَبَمِيًّا", "وَيُقِيمُ-نَسْلَهَا", "يُقِيمُ-نَسْلِي"]·ben["আমার-দেবর", "আর-দেবরের-ধর্ম-পালন-কর", "এবং-দেবর-ধর্ম-পালন-করবে-তাকে"]·DE["und-heirate-sie-als-Schwager", "und-soll-perform-levirate-Pflicht-ihr", "zu-perform-levirate-Pflicht-mich"]·EN["and-perform-levirate-duty", "and-shall-perform-levirate-duty-her", "to-perform-levirate-duty-me"]·FR["et-devra-perform-levirate-duty-sa", "et-perform-levirate-devoir", "à-perform-levirate-duty-moi"]·heb["ו-יבם", "ו-ייבמה", "ייבמי"]·HI["और-देवर-करेगा-उसे", "और-देवर-विवाह-कर", "देवर-करना-मुझे"]·ID["dan-kawinilah-sebagai-ipar", "dan-melakukan-kewajiban-ipar", "melakukan-kewajiban-ipar-kepadaku"]·IT["a-perform-levirate-dovere-me", "e-dovra-perform-levirate-dovere-lei", "e-perform-levirate-duty"]·jav["lan-nikahana", "lan-nindakaken-kuwajiban-sedhèrèk-laki", "nindakaken-kuwajiban-sedhèrèk-laki-dhateng-kula"]·KO["그리고-수혼할지니라", "그리고-시동생의-의무를-행하라", "나를-수혼하기를"]·PT["cumprir-o-dever-de-cunhado-comigo", "e-cumprirá-o-dever-de-cunhado-com-ela", "e-cunhada-te"]·RU["и-восстанови-левират", "и-выполнит-долг-деверя", "исполнить-долг-деверя-мне"]·ES["desposarme", "y-cúmple-cuñado", "y-la-desposará"]·SW["kunifanya-mke-wake", "na-atamwoa-kama-shemeji", "na-mfanye-kuwa-mke-wa-ndugu"]·TR["kayınbiraderlik-yapmayı", "ve-kayınbirader-görevini-yapacak", "ve-kayınbiraderlik-yap"]·urd["اور-دیور-کا-فرض-ادا-کرے-اُس-سے", "اور-نبھا", "میرا-دیور"]
Related Senses
H5971a 1. people, nation (1836×)H5973a 1. accompaniment, together with (956×)H0854 1. with (accompaniment) (665×)H1471a 1. nations, peoples (plural/collective) (466×)G3326 1. with (368×)H1285 1. covenant, pact, treaty (284×)G2453 1. Jewish person, Jew (194×)H4150 1. meeting (tent of meeting) (151×)G2992 1. people/nation (an ethnic or political community) (142×)G4862 1. (129×)G1484 1. Gentiles, non-Jewish nations (128×)H1471a 2. nation, people-group (singular) (98×)H3162b 1. together (97×)H1616 1. sojourner, resident alien (92×)H0567 1. Amorite (people group) (87×)H3064 1. Jew, Jewish person (81×)H3669a 1. Canaanite (ethnic designation) (70×)G1122 1. scribe / expert in the Law (63×)H2114a 1. stranger, foreigner (person) (54×)H5608b 1. scribe, royal secretary (48×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [יָבַם] vb.denom., only Pi. do the duty of יָבָם to a brother’s widow; Pf. וְיִבְּמָהּ consec. Dt 25:5 and shall do a brother-in-law’s office to her; Imv. יַבֵּם אֹתָהּ Gn 38:8 (i.e. אֵשֶׁת אָחִיךָ v a); Inf. sf. לֹא אָבָה יַבְּמִי Dt 25:7 (on nominal sf. as obj. of inf., v. Ges§ 115 R. 2 ad fin.).