Deuteronomy 25:7 · KJV
“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. {brother's: or, next kinsman's}”
— Deuteronomy 25:7
And it shall be, {that} the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother {which is} dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.
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;
Deuteronomy 25 — Context
If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her. {her husband's...: or, her next kinsman}
6And it shall be, {that} the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother {which is} dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.
7And 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. {brother's: or, next kinsman's}
8Then 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;
9Then 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.
Cross References
Ruth 4:1-2
Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
Ruth 4:5-6
Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy {it} also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.