BROTHER-IN-LAW MARRIAGE

Known also as levirate marriage; a custom whereby a man would marry his deceased brother’s sonless widow in order to produce offspring to carry on his brother’s line. The Hebrew verb meaning “perform brother-in-law marriage” is ya·vamʹ, related to the Hebrew terms for “brother-in-law” and “brother’s widow.”​—Ge 38:8; De 25:5, ftn; 25:7.

This principle was followed in patriarchal times and was later incorporated into the Law covenant with Israel.

An example of brother-in-law marriage in patriarchal times is the case of Judah. He took a wife, Tamar, for Er his firstborn, and when Er proved wicked in Jehovah’s eyes, Jehovah put him to death. “In view of that Judah said to Onan [Er’s brother]: ‘Have relations with your brother’s wife and perform brother-in-law marriage with her and raise up offspring for your brother.’ But Onan knew that the offspring would not become his; and it occurred that when he did have relations with his brother’s wife he wasted his semen on the earth so as not to give offspring to his brother.” (Ge 38:8, 9) Because Onan refused to fulfill his obligation in connection with the arrangement of brother-in-law marriage, Jehovah put him to death. Judah then told Tamar to wait until his third son Shelah matured, but Judah did not require Shelah to perform his duty toward Tamar.

In due time, after the death of Judah’s wife, Tamar maneuvered events so as to get an heir from her father-in-law. This she did by disguising herself, putting on a shawl and a veil, and seating herself by the road along which she knew Judah would be passing. Judah took her for a harlot and had relations with her. She obtained tokens from him as evidence of their relations, and when the truth came out, Judah did not blame her but declared that she was more righteous than he was. The record states that he did not have further intercourse with her when he learned who she was. Thus Judah himself unwittingly produced an heir to Er through his daughter-in-law.​—Ge 38.