Luke 20:28

Luke 20:28

Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

a. ASV: And they asked him, saying, Teacher, Moses wrote unto us, that if a man’s brother die, having a wife, and he be childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

b. YLT: Saying, 'Teacher, Moses wrote to us, If any one's brother may die, having a wife, and he may die childless -- that his brother may take the wife, and may raise up seed to his brother.

c. Amplified Bible Classic: And they asked Him a question, saying, Teacher, Moses wrote for us [a law] that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife and no children, the man shall take the woman and raise up offspring for his brother.

1. “Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children…”

a. Saying [Strong: 3004 légō, leg'-o; a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas G2036 and G5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while G4483 is properly to break silence merely, and G2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:—ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.] [The KJV translates Strong's G3004 in the following manner: say (1,184x), speak (61x), call (48x), tell (33x), miscellaneous (17x).]

b. Master [Strong: 1320 didáskalos, did-as'-kal-os; from G1321; an instructor (genitive case or specially):—doctor, master, teacher.] [The KJV translates Strong's G1320 in the following manner: Master (Jesus) (40x), teacher (10x), master (7x), doctor (1x).]

c. Moses [Strong: 3475 Mōseús, moce-yoos'; of Hebrew origin; (H4872); Moseus, Moses, or Mouses (i.e. Mosheh), the Hebrew lawgiver:—Moses.] [The KJV translates Strong's G3475 in the following manner: Moses (80x).]

d. wrote [Strong: 1125 gráphō, graf'-o; a primary verb; to "grave", especially to write; figuratively, to describe:—describe, write(-ing, -ten).] [The KJV translates Strong's G1125 in the following manner: write (206x), writing (1x), describe (1x), vr write (1x).]

e. [unto] us [Strong: 2254 hēmîn, hay-meen'; dative case plural of G1473; to (or for, with, by) us:—our, (for) us, we.] [The KJV translates Strong's G2254 in the following manner: us (161x), we (13x), our (2x), for us (1x).]

f. If [Strong: 1437 eán, eh-an'; from G1487 and G302; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty:—before, but, except, (and) if, (if) so, (what-, whither-)soever, though, when (-soever), whether (or), to whom, (who-)so(-ever).] [ The KJV translates Strong's G1437 in the following manner: if (200x), whosoever (with G3769) (14x), whatsoever (with G3739) (16x), though (14x), miscellaneous (32x).]

g. any [mans] [Strong: 5100 tìs, tis; an enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object:—a (kind of), any (man, thing, thing at all), certain (thing), divers, he (every) man, one (X thing), ought, + partly, some (man, -body, - thing, -what), (+ that no-)thing, what(-soever), ×wherewith, whom(-soever), whose(-soever).] [The KJV translates Strong's G5100 in the following manner: certain (104x), some (73x), any man (55x), any (37x), one (34x), man (34x), anything (24x), a (9x), certain man (7x), something (6x), somewhat (6x), ought (5x), some man (4x), certain thing (2x), nothing (with G3756) (2x), divers (2x), he (2x), thing (1x), another (2x), not translated (17x), miscellaneous (22x).]

h. brother [Strong: 80 adelphós, ad-el-fos'; from G1 (as a connective particle) and δελφύς delphýs (the womb); a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like G1):—brother.] [The KJV translates Strong's G80 in the following manner: brethren (226x), brother (113x), brother's (6x), brother's way (1x).]

i. die [Strong: 599 apothnḗskō, ap-oth-nace'-ko; from G575 and G2348; to die off (literally or figuratively):—be dead, death, die, lie a-dying, be slain (X with).] [The KJV translates Strong's G599 in the following manner: die (98x), dead (29x), at the point of death (with G3195) (1x), perish (1x), lay a dying (1x), slain (with G5408) (1x), vr dead (1x).]

j. having [Strong: 2192 échō, ekh'-o; a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition):—be (able, × hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), × conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, +recover, + reign, + rest, + return, × sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.] [The KJV translates Strong's G2192 in the following manner: have (613x), be (22x), need (with G5532) (12x), miscellaneous (63x), vr have (2x).]

k. [a] wife [Strong: 1135 gynḗ, goo-nay'; probably from the base of G1096; a woman; specially, a wife:—wife, woman.] [The KJV translates Strong's G1135 in the following manner: women (129x), wife (92x).]

l. and [Strong: 2532 kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.] [The KJV translates Strong's G2532 in the following manner: and (8,173x), also (514x), even (108x), both (43x), then (20x), so (18x), likewise (13x), not tr. (350x), miscellaneous (31x), vr and (1x).]

m. he [Strong: 3778 hoûtos, hoo'-tos; from the article G3588 and G846; the he (she or it), i.e. this or that (often with article repeated):—he (it was that), hereof, it, she, such as, the same, these, they, this (man, same, woman), which, who.] [The KJV translates Strong's G3778 in the following manner: this (157x), these (59x), he (31x), the same (28x), this man (25x), she (12x), they (10x), miscellaneous (34x).]

n. die [Strong: 599 apothnḗskō, ap-oth-nace'-ko; from G575 and G2348; to die off (literally or figuratively):—be dead, death, die, lie a-dying, be slain (X with).] [The KJV translates Strong's G599 in the following manner: die (98x), dead (29x), at the point of death (with G3195) (1x), perish (1x), lay a dying (1x), slain (with G5408) (1x), vr dead (1x).]

o. without children [Strong: 815 áteknos, at'-ek-nos; from G1 (as a negative particle) and G5043; childless:—childless, without children.] [The KJV translates Strong's G815 in the following manner: without children (2x), childless (1x).]

2. “...that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.”

a. that [Strong: 2443 hína, hin'-ah; probably from the same as the former part of G1438 (through the demonstrative idea; compare G3588); in order that (denoting the purpose or the result):—albeit, because, to the intent (that), lest, so as, (so) that, (for) to.] [The KJV translates Strong's G2443 in the following manner: that (486x), to (76x), miscellaneous (8x).]

b. his [Strong: 846 autós, ow-tos'; from the particle αὖ aû (perhaps akin to the base of G109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:—her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.] [BLB: The KJV translates Strong's G846 in the following manner: him (1,952x), his (1,084x), their (318x), he (252x), her (242x), they (121x), same (80x), himself (58x), miscellaneous (1,678x).]

c. brother [Strong: 80 adelphós, ad-el-fos'; from G1 (as a connective particle) and δελφύς delphýs (the womb); a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like G1):—brother.] [The KJV translates Strong's G80 in the following manner: brethren (226x), brother (113x), brother's (6x), brother's way (1x).]

d. [should] take [Strong: 2983 lambánō, lam-ban'-o; a prolonged form of a primary verb, which is use only as an alternate in certain tenses; to take (in very many applications, literally and figuratively (properly objective or active, to get hold of; whereas G1209 is rather subjective or passive, to have offered to one; while G138 is more violent, to seize or remove)):—accept, + be amazed, assay, attain, bring, × when I call, catch, come on (X unto), + forget, have, hold, obtain, receive (X after), take (away, up).] [The KJV translates Strong's G2983 in the following manner: receive (133x), take (106x), have (3x), catch (3x), not translated (1x), miscellaneous (17x).]

e. [his] wife [Strong: 1135 gynḗ, goo-nay'; probably from the base of G1096; a woman; specially, a wife:—wife, woman.] [The KJV translates Strong's G1135 in the following manner: women (129x), wife (92x).]

f. and [Strong: 2532 kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.] [The KJV translates Strong's G2532 in the following manner: and (8,173x), also (514x), even (108x), both (43x), then (20x), so (18x), likewise (13x), not tr. (350x), miscellaneous (31x), vr and (1x).]

g. raise up [Strong: 1817 exanístēmi, ex-an-is'-tay-mee; from G1537 and G450; objectively, to produce, i.e. (figuratively) beget; subjectively, to arise, i.e. (figuratively) object:—raise (rise) up.] [The KJV translates Strong's G1817 in the following manner: raise up (2x), rise up (1x).]

h. seed [Strong: 4690 spérma, sper'-mah; from G4687; something sown, i.e. seed (including the male "sperm"); by implication, offspring; specially, a remnant (figuratively, as if kept over for planting):—issue, seed.] [The KJV translates Strong's G4690 in the following manner: seed (43x), issue (1x).]

i.  [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [to]  

j. [unto] his [Strong: 846 autós, ow-tos'; from the particle αὖ aû (perhaps akin to the base of G109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:—her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.] [BLB: The KJV translates Strong's G846 in the following manner: him (1,952x), his (1,084x), their (318x), he (252x), her (242x), they (121x), same (80x), himself (58x), miscellaneous (1,678x).]

k. brother [Strong: 80 adelphós, ad-el-fos'; from G1 (as a connective particle) and δελφύς delphýs (the womb); a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like G1):—brother.] [The KJV translates Strong's G80 in the following manner: brethren (226x), brother (113x), brother's (6x), brother's way (1x).]

1). This is a reference to a provision in the law of Moses to prevent the loss of inheritance within families.

a). Deuteronomy 25:5, 6   If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.

25:6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.