Bible Dictionaries
Levirate Law

Holman Bible Dictionary

From the Latin levir meaning “husband's brother.” A widespread practice in the ancient Near East assigning family responsibility to the husband's brother in case of disaster. The Mosaic law provided for the continuation of a man's name should he die before fathering a male child. According to Deuteronomy 25:5-10 , the deceased's brother was to marry the widow. The first male child born to this union was to carry the name of the dead man.