Deuteronomy 25:8

8 Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,”

Deuteronomy 25:8 in Other Translations

8 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;

8 Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, 'I do not wish to take her,'

8 The elders of the town will then summon him and talk with him. If he still refuses and says, ‘I don’t want to marry her,’

8 Then the leaders will call for the brother and confront him. If he stands there defiant and says, "I don't want her,"

8 The elders of his city will summon him and speak with him. If he persists and says, 'I don't want to marry her,'

Deuteronomy 25:8 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 25:8

Then the elders of his city shall call him
Require him to come, before them, and declare his resolution, and the reasons for it; recite this law to him, and explain the nature of it, and exhort him to comply with it, or show reason why he does not, at least to have his final resolution upon it:

and speak unto him;
talk with him upon this subject, and give him their best advice; and what that was Maimonides ^F15 more particularly informs us; if it is good and advisable to marry, they advise him to marry; but if it is better advice to pluck off the shoe, they give it; as when she is young and he is old, or she is old and he young, they advise him to allow the shoe to be plucked off:

and [if] he stand [to it]: and say, I like not to take her;
if, after all the conversation, debate, and counsel between them, he is resolute, and abides by his first determination, that he will not marry her, then the following method was to be taken.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 Yebum Vechalitzab, c. 4. sect. 1.

Deuteronomy 25:8 In-Context

6 The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.

7 However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.”

8 Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,”

9 his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.”

10 That man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.