LEVIRATE LAW. A law of Moses which states that if two brothers live together, and one of them dies without leaving a male heir, his brother shall marry his widow, and the first son of the union shall take the name of the brother who died. If the brother refuses to marry the widow, she shall bring him before the elders of the city, and in their presence remove a sandal from his foot and spit in his face. The purpose of the law obviously was to provide an heir for the dead brother (Deut 25:5-10).