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Deuteronomy 25

KJ3 Literal Translation — Chapter 25 of 34

1 If there is a contention between men, and they come to judgment, and they judge them, and declare the one being righteous the righteous one, and declare the wicked one guilty;

2 and it shall be, if the wicked one is a son of stripes, the judge shall cause him to fall down. And one shall strike him before his face, enough for his wickedness, by number.

3 He may give him forty stripes; he shall not add more, lest, if he should exceed and beat him above these with many stripes, then your brother would be dishonored before your eyes.

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Chapter Summary

Stripes must not exceed forty. 4 The ox is not to be muzzled. 5 Of being with a brother's wife. 11 Of the immodest woman. 13 Of unjust weights.

Key Hebrew Words

יָבַם perform levirate duty H2992 · TWOT 836
בְּכוֹר firstborn H1060 · TWOT 244a
מַכָּה stripes, blows H4347 · TWOT 1364d
אֵיפָה ephah (measure) H374 · TWOT 82
עַוְלָה injustice H5766 · TWOT 1580b
זָכַר remember H2142 · TWOT 551

People & Context

Amalek

The hostile nation that attacked Israel's faint stragglers from the rear after Egypt; Israel is to blot out his remembrance (vv. 17-19).

Timeline

Limit on Judicial Flogging

A guilty man sentenced to beating may receive up to forty stripes but no more, so he is not overly degraded in the eyes of his fellow Israelites.

Deuteronomy 25:1-3
Prohibition of Muzzling an Ox

An ox must not be muzzled while it is treading out the grain.

Deuteronomy 25:4
Law of the Levirate Marriage

If a man dies childless, his brother must marry the widow to raise up a firstborn son in the dead brother's name. If the brother refuses, the widow removes his shoe and spits in his face at the city gate.

Deuteronomy 25:5-10

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