Mark 12:20

20 There were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed;

Mark 12:20 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 12:20

Now there were seven brethren
In a certain family, at a certain place; perhaps at Jerusalem, who were brethren by the father's side; for such only were reckoned so, and such only did this law oblige:

and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed:
no child: hence it is clear that the ancient Jews used the word seed, of a single person, as these Sadducees did; though modern ones deny such an use of it in our present controversies with them about the sense of ( Genesis 3:15 ) ( 22:18 ) ; (See Gill on Matthew 22:25).

Mark 12:20 In-Context

18 And there come unto him Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,

19 Teacher, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave a wife behind him, and leave no child, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

20 There were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed;

21 and the second took her, and died, leaving no seed behind him; and the third likewise:

22 and the seven left no seed. Last of all the woman also died.