Mark 12:20

20 There were seven brothers: and the first took a wife, and at his death there were no offspring;

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 came to him Sadducees, who say there is no coming back from the dead; and they put a question to him, saying,

19 Master, in the law Moses says, If a man's brother comes to his end, and has a wife still living and no child, it is right for his brother to take his wife, and get a family for his brother.

20 There were seven brothers: and the first took a wife, and at his death there were no offspring;

21 And the second took her, and at his death there were no offspring; and the third the same:

22 And all the seven had no seed. Last of all the woman herself came to her death.