Markos 12:21

21 And the second took her and he died, not having left behind a descendant. And the third likewise.

Markos 12:21 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 12:21

The second took her
To wife, married her, as the next eldest brother, by the above law was obliged to: and so the Jewish


FOOTNOTES:

F12 canon upon it runs thus;

``the command is, (lwdgb) , "for the eldest" to marry his brother's wife: if he will not, they go to all the brethren; if they will not, they return to the eldest, and say, the command is upon thee, either pluck off the shoe, or marry.''

Maimonides F13 relates it in this manner;

``if a man dies, and leaves many brethren, the command is upon the eldest to marry, or pull off the shoe; as it is said, ( Deuteronomy 25:6 ) , "and it shall be the firstborn which she beareth". From tradition, it is learned that it does not speak but of the firstborn among the brethren; and it is all one as if it was said, the eldest of the brethren shall succeed in the name of his brother that is dead; and this is what is said, "which she beareth": the sense is, which the mother has borne, and not which the brother's wife beareth; if the eldest will not marry her, they go round to all the brethren; and if they will not, they return to the eldest, and say, upon thee is the command, either pluck off the shoe, or marry; and they do not compel him to marry, but they compel him to pluck off the shoe;''

i.e. in case he will not marry.

And died, neither left he any, seed, and the third likewise;
married her, and died without issue, as the second did. The Persic version adds, "and the fourth, and fifth"; for so they all did to the seventh.


F12 Misn. Yebamot, c. 4. sect. 5. & T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 39. 1.
F13 Hilch. Yebum Uchalitza, c. 2, sect. 6, 7. Vid. Jarchium in Deut. xxv. 6.

Markos 12:21 In-Context

19 Rabbi, Moshe (Rabbeinu) wrote to us that if an ACH of someone should die and leave behind an isha UVEN EIN LO (and there is no son to him) YEVAMAH YAVO ALEIHA ULEKAKHAH LO LISHA VHAYAH HABECHOR ASHER TELED YAKUM AL SHEM ACHIV HAMET (the brother of her husband must come to her and he must take her to him as wife and the Bechor she bears shall raise up the name of the dead brother. DEVARIM 25:5)
20 Now there were shiva achim. And the first took a wife and, dying, did not leave a descendant.
21 And the second took her and he died, not having left behind a descendant. And the third likewise.
22 And the seven did not leave a descendant.
23 In the Techiyas HaMesim, when they are made to stand up alive, of which of them will she be [the] isha? For seven had her as wife.
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