Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah

Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 25:6/אבן עזרא על דברים כ״ה:ו׳

אהבכור אשר תלד. יקרא בשם אחיו:

1THE FIRST-BORN THAT SHE BEARETH. Will be called by the name of his⁴⁷ brother.

בולא ימחה שמו. על הנחלה ידבר. וכבר פירשתי אשר תלד בפסוק לעם נכרי:

2THAT HIS NAME BE NOT BLOTTED OUT. Scripture speaks of his inheritance.⁴⁸ I have previously explained the meaning of that she beareth in my comments on unto a foreign people (Ex. 21:8).⁴⁹refers to the deceased’s first-born brother (Yevamot 24a). See Rashi on this verse, “It is the eldest brother who is to perform the duty of levirate marriage.” I.E. in his short commentary on Ex. 21:8 states that this interpretation is not in keeping with the plain meaning of the verse.