When a married man dies, his wife may be expected, encouraged, or sometimes required by traditional customs to marry one of his brothers or another male relative. To people unfamiliar with the practice, this may seem unusual. However, in communities where it developed, levirate marriage has often served important social, economic, religious and family purposes.
Known as levirate marriage, this custom has existed in different parts of the world, including Africa and the ancient Middle East. It has been associated with protecting widows and their children, preserving family property, continuing a deceased man’s family line and maintaining relationships between extended families.
However, the practice has also raised serious concerns, particularly where widows are denied the freedom to decide whether they want to marry again.
Here are some of the main reasons communities have practised levirate marriage:
- To provide financial and social support for a widow and her children.
- To keep family land, property and inheritance within the deceased man’s family.
- To ensure that the deceased man’s family line continues.
- To maintain responsibility for children after their father’s death.
- To preserve relationships and obligations between extended families.
- To follow religious beliefs and traditional expectations surrounding marriage and death.
1. What exactly is levirate marriage?
Levirate marriage is a traditional arrangement in which a widow marries her deceased husband’s brother or, in some communities, another male relative from his family.
The word levirate comes from the Latin word levir, meaning a husband’s brother. Although the brother is the most familiar person involved, the arrangement does not always require a biological brother. Depending on the community, another male relative may take on the responsibility.
The custom is sometimes called widow inheritance or wife inheritance, particularly in African contexts. However, these expressions can be misleading because they may suggest that a woman is property that can be transferred from one man to another.
In some communities, the arrangement is understood as a family responsibility to care for the widow and her children. In others, it has involved the transfer of control over a woman’s marriage, sexuality or property to her late husband’s relatives.
These differences are important because not every community practises levirate marriage in the same way.
2. Why do some communities practise levirate marriage?
There is no single explanation. The custom developed in different societies for different reasons, although several purposes appear repeatedly in historical and anthropological accounts.
A. To protect widows from financial hardship
In some traditional societies, women had limited rights to own land, inherit property or independently support themselves.
Marriage could also mean that a woman moved away from her birth family and settled in her husband’s community. If her husband died, she might suddenly find herself without a reliable source of income or a secure place to live.
Levirate marriage could provide a way for the deceased man’s family to continue supporting her.
A brother or another male relative might take responsibility for her household, help provide food and shelter, and ensure that her children were not abandoned.
For some widows, this arrangement offered a form of social security at a time when government welfare systems, independent employment opportunities and formal property protections were limited.
Research on levirate marriage in sub-Saharan Africa has described it as an informal safety net for widows who had limited independent property and livelihood options. [1]
However, the protection offered was not always guaranteed. In some cases, support depended on the widow accepting a new marriage arrangement, making her security conditional on decisions made by her husband’s family.
B. To protect the deceased man’s children
Another important reason is the welfare of children.
When a father dies, his children may face financial difficulties, uncertainty about their future and disputes over who should take responsibility for them.
In communities where extended families play a central role in raising children, a deceased man’s brother may be expected to take responsibility for his brother’s widow and children.
This could mean providing financial assistance, helping with farming or other household activities, and ensuring that the children remain connected to their father’s family.
The idea is that the father’s death should not cause his children to lose their place within the family.
In some traditional arrangements, the man who marries the widow may also become a father figure to the children, even though he is not their biological father.
This is one reason levirate marriage is sometimes viewed as a family arrangement rather than simply a new romantic relationship.
C. To preserve the deceased man’s family name and lineage
In some societies, continuing a man’s family line after his death was considered extremely important.
Lineage means the family line through which people trace their descent and connections to earlier generations.
Where having children, particularly sons, was closely connected to inheritance and family identity, a man who died without a male child could be seen as leaving an important family responsibility unfinished.
Levirate marriage offered a traditional solution. His brother could marry the widow, and a child born from that union could be recognised as continuing the deceased man’s family line.
This idea appears clearly in the ancient Israelite practice described in the Bible.
In Deuteronomy 25:5–6, the law describes a situation in which a man dies without a son. His brother is instructed to marry the widow, and the first son born through the union is to carry the deceased brother’s name. The stated purpose is to prevent the dead man’s name from disappearing from his family line. [2]
This historical example shows that levirate marriage was not always understood simply as a way of giving a widow another husband. It could also be a way of maintaining the social identity of a man who had died.
D. To keep family property within the deceased man’s family
Inheritance is another major explanation.
In communities where land, livestock, houses and other valuable possessions were passed down through a man’s family, relatives could be concerned about what would happen to those assets after his death.
If the widow remarried outside the family, her new husband or his relatives might eventually gain access to property connected to her deceased husband.
Levirate marriage could help prevent this possibility by keeping the widow and her children within the late husband’s extended family.
For example, imagine a man who owns farmland and dies, leaving behind his wife and children. If the family follows a levirate arrangement, one of his brothers may marry the widow and help maintain the household and farm.
The land and its benefits remain connected to the deceased man’s family rather than potentially passing into another family through remarriage.
This does not mean that every levirate marriage was motivated by property. In some cases, the primary concern was the widow’s welfare or the children’s upbringing. But inheritance has been an important factor in the history of the practice. [1, 3]
E. To preserve relationships between extended families
Marriage has traditionally connected more than two individuals. In many societies, it also creates relationships between entire families.
When a husband dies, his widow’s relationship with his family does not necessarily end. She may still be the mother of his children, a member of his household and someone connected to his relatives through marriage.
Levirate marriage can be a way of maintaining those relationships.
Rather than allowing the widow to leave the family network entirely, the deceased man’s relatives may arrange for one of their members to become her new husband.
This can preserve existing family obligations, reduce disputes over children and property, and maintain the relationship between the widow and her late husband’s relatives.
However, whether this is beneficial depends heavily on the widow’s wishes and the treatment she receives.
3. Where has levirate marriage been practised?
Levirate marriage has been documented in several parts of the world. The following examples illustrate different historical and cultural forms of the practice. They should not be interpreted as meaning that everyone belonging to these communities practises it today.
A. The Yoruba of southwestern Nigeria
Among the Yoruba of southwestern Nigeria, the practice has been associated with the term isupo.
A 2023 study published in HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies examined the relationship between the ancient Israelite levirate custom and isupo among the Yoruba.
The study explains that a widow could marry a younger relative of her deceased husband. In some historical arrangements, a deceased man’s family could identify a relative to take responsibility for his widow.
The practice was associated with maintaining the deceased man’s family line, protecting property and providing social and economic support for the widow and her children. [3]
However, the study also notes that levirate marriage has been declining in Nigeria. It would therefore be inaccurate to suggest that all Yoruba families practise it or that it remains a universal expectation.
B. The Luo communities of Kenya and Tanzania
Levirate marriage has also been documented among Luo communities in East Africa.
An account published by the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists describes a traditional arrangement in which the deceased man’s brothers could propose marriage to his widow.
In the account, the widow’s choice among the men offering to take responsibility was connected to a traditional belief involving a dream about her late husband.
The same source describes how family elders could become involved in identifying a relative to care for the widow and her children. [4]
This example illustrates how levirate marriage could be connected not only to inheritance and family support but also to spiritual beliefs and customary procedures.
It is important to remember that practices can vary between Luo communities and generations.
C. The Pare communities of Tanzania
The Pare people of Tanzania have also been associated with levirate marriage.
Historical descriptions of the practice explain that a deceased man’s younger brother could be expected to take responsibility for his widow and children.
The arrangement was intended to ensure that the family did not abandon the woman and her children after the husband’s death.
In some accounts, the brother selected for the responsibility was determined by his position among the deceased man’s siblings. If he was too young or unavailable, another relative could be considered. [4]
The custom has become less common in some communities as religious beliefs, education and social attitudes have changed.
D. The Hehe communities of Tanzania
Levirate marriage has also been documented among the Hehe people of Tanzania.
In the traditional arrangement described by the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists, a widow could be offered marriage by one of her late husband’s brothers.
The account notes that Hehe women could have the freedom to refuse the arrangement. However, refusal could have serious economic consequences where the widow’s access to property depended on remaining within her husband’s family.
This shows why it is important to distinguish between having a choice in principle and being able to exercise that choice without punishment or financial hardship. [4]
E. The Sukuma communities of Tanzania
Among the Sukuma people of northern Tanzania, the practice is known as kwingilwa, according to the same historical account.
After a man dies, his family may appoint a male relative to take responsibility for his widow and property.
The relative is usually selected from among the deceased man’s brothers. If they are too young or unavailable, another member of the family or clan may be considered.
The precise arrangements can differ between Sukuma communities. Some historical accounts describe situations in which a widow who refuses the arrangement may face demands connected to the return of bridewealth, which is the money or property transferred between families during marriage arrangements. [4]
F. Ancient Israel
One of the best-known historical examples appears in the Hebrew Bible.
Deuteronomy 25:5–10 describes a situation in which a man dies without a son while his brother lives nearby. The surviving brother is expected to marry the widow and produce a child who will carry the deceased man’s name.
The passage also describes what happens when the brother refuses. A formal ceremony known as halitzah allows the widow to release him from the obligation.
The biblical account is particularly significant because it connects levirate marriage with inheritance, family continuity and the preservation of a deceased man’s name. [2, 5]
It is important not to assume that this means Jewish communities generally practise levirate marriage today. Jewish religious law developed different approaches over time, and the ceremony of halitzah became the required alternative in many Jewish communities. [5]
4. Does the widow have to marry her late husband’s brother?
Not necessarily.
One of the most important misunderstandings about levirate marriage is the assumption that every widow in a community that recognises the custom must accept the arrangement.
The rules have differed across societies.
In some communities, the widow could accept or reject the proposed marriage. In others, the family might consult her, but her decision could be heavily influenced by expectations surrounding inheritance, children and family reputation.
There have also been situations in which women faced serious punishment or hardship for refusing.
A 2014 report by Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board documented cases in Cameroon in which widows who rejected levirate marriage reportedly faced social exclusion, loss of family support, pressure to repay bridewealth and disputes over property. The report also recorded allegations of more severe abuses, including threats and violence. It cautioned that some of these claims could not be independently corroborated by the sources consulted. [6]
This distinction matters. A custom may be described as offering a widow protection, but if she cannot freely refuse it, that protection comes at the cost of her personal freedom.
5. What happens to the widow’s children?
The treatment of children is one of the central issues in levirate marriage.
In some communities, children born to the widow before her husband’s death remain members of their deceased father’s family. The relative who marries their mother may take on the responsibility of raising and supporting them.
In other arrangements, children born from the new union may also be recognised as belonging to the deceased man’s family line.
This is particularly clear in the ancient Israelite example. Under the arrangement described in Deuteronomy, the first son born from the union was to carry the deceased brother’s name. In other words, the child’s social and inheritance identity could be connected to the dead man rather than only to his biological father. [2, 5]
This illustrates a difference between biological fatherhood and social or legal fatherhood.
Biological fatherhood refers to the man who physically fathered the child. Social or legal fatherhood refers to the person recognised by a community or legal system as the child’s father for particular family responsibilities, rights or inheritance purposes.
These identities do not always have to be the same in traditional kinship systems.
6. Is levirate marriage the same as polygamy?
No. They are different concepts, although they can sometimes overlap.
Polygamy is a marriage arrangement involving more than two spouses. A man marrying multiple wives is more specifically described as polygyny.
Levirate marriage, on the other hand, describes a widow marrying a relative of her deceased husband.
The two practices can overlap if the relative who marries the widow already has another wife. In that situation, the widow may become an additional wife in a polygynous household.
For example, if a man has one wife and his brother dies, he may marry his brother’s widow under a levirate arrangement. If he remains married to his first wife, the household now includes two wives.
However, levirate marriage does not automatically mean that the new husband must already be married or that the widow will become one of several wives.
7. Why is levirate marriage becoming less common?
Levirate marriage has declined in many communities as economic conditions, religious beliefs, legal systems and attitudes towards women’s rights have changed.
Some of the major reasons include:
Greater financial independence for women
When women have better access to education, employment, property ownership and independent sources of income, they may no longer need to marry a relative of their deceased husband to secure their livelihood.
This gives widows more freedom to decide whether they want to remarry, remain single or establish a new household.
Research by Yuya Kudo, using household data from rural Tanzania, examined the decline of levirate marriage in parts of sub-Saharan Africa. The study considered women’s increasing economic independence and the effect of HIV/AIDS on the practice. [1]
Changing religious beliefs
The spread of Christianity and changes in religious interpretation have influenced attitudes towards traditional widow inheritance practices in some African communities.
The Nigerian study on Yoruba isupo, for example, discusses the decline of the custom alongside the influence of Christianity and modernisation. [3]
However, religious communities are not uniform. Some individuals and religious leaders have supported certain aspects of the tradition, particularly its emphasis on family responsibility, while rejecting compulsory marriage.
Greater awareness of women’s rights
Modern human rights discussions increasingly emphasise that a widow should have the right to decide whether she wants to marry again.
A woman does not lose her right to make decisions about her body, relationships or future simply because her husband has died.
This has encouraged criticism of customs that treat widows as property or make their access to inheritance and family support conditional on marrying a male relative.
Concerns about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections
Levirate marriage can involve sexual relationships between people who were not previously partners.
In settings where HIV prevalence is high and testing is limited, this can create health risks, particularly if a widow or the prospective husband has an undiagnosed infection.
Yuya Kudo’s research on the decline of levirate marriage in Tanzania examined how HIV/AIDS affected the willingness of families to continue the practice. The study also discussed the vulnerability of widows who lost a traditional source of support as the custom declined. [1]
This does not mean that every levirate marriage involves HIV or that the practice itself automatically causes infection. The risks depend on individual circumstances, sexual health and access to prevention and treatment.
8. Are there any advantages and disadvantages?
The effects of levirate marriage depend on how it is practised and whether the widow has genuine freedom to make her own decision.
| Possible advantages | Possible disadvantages |
|---|---|
| May provide financial support for a widow. | Can deny a widow the freedom to choose her future. |
| May help children remain within their father’s family. | Can expose women to pressure, intimidation or forced marriage. |
| May preserve family property and inheritance arrangements. | May allow relatives to control property that should belong to the widow or children. |
| Can maintain relationships between extended families. | May create conflict between the widow and her new husband or other wives. |
| May provide practical help with raising children. | Can create sexual health risks if appropriate precautions are not taken. |
| May offer social belonging and protection after bereavement. | Can make a widow’s security dependent on accepting a marriage she does not want. |
The most important issue is consent. A widow who freely chooses to marry her late husband’s brother may experience the arrangement very differently from a woman who is threatened or pressured into it.
9. Myths vs facts about levirate marriage
| Myth or claim | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|
| Every widow must marry her late husband’s brother. | False. Rules differ, and some communities allow widows to refuse. |
| Levirate marriage exists only in Africa. | False. It is documented in ancient Israel and other historical societies outside Africa. |
| The practice is only about sexual relationships. | False. It has also been connected to inheritance, family continuity, child welfare and economic support. |
| The new husband always becomes the biological father of the widow’s existing children. | False. Existing children retain their biological father, although another relative may assume social or family responsibilities. |
| Every community follows the same rules. | False. The people involved, the widow’s freedom to choose and the treatment of property can differ considerably. |
| Levirate marriage is always a form of protection for women. | Unproven as a general claim. It may offer support in some circumstances but can also expose women to coercion and loss of rights. |
| The custom is practised by every member of the ethnic groups associated with it. | False. Practices vary by family, location, religion, generation and individual choice. |
10. What is the difference between levirate marriage and sororate marriage?
Levirate marriage is sometimes confused with another traditional marriage arrangement known as sororate marriage.
They are related because both involve marriage between relatives after the death of a spouse, but they work in opposite directions.
- Levirate marriage: A widow marries her deceased husband’s brother or another male relative.
- Sororate marriage: A widower marries his deceased wife’s sister or another female relative.
Both customs have been associated with preserving relationships between families and maintaining existing family responsibilities.
However, neither practice should be assumed to have the same meaning or rules in every society.
Bottom line
Levirate marriage developed in different societies as a way of addressing the problems that could follow a man’s death. For some communities, it helped protect widows and children, preserve family property, maintain a deceased man’s lineage and ensure that extended family members continued to fulfil their responsibilities.
However, the tradition also reflects historical inequalities in which women sometimes had limited control over property, marriage and their own futures. What may have been presented as protection could become a source of pressure or exploitation when a widow was not free to refuse.
Understanding levirate marriage therefore requires looking beyond the unusual idea of a widow marrying her late husband’s relative. It reveals how different societies have understood family responsibility, inheritance, marriage and the position of women after the death of a husband.
Disclaimer: This article is for general educational and informational purposes only. It does not replace professional advice relevant to individual circumstances. If you notice an error or would like to send feedback or corrections, please contact us.
References
- [1] Why Is the Practice of Levirate Marriage Disappearing in Africa? HIV/AIDS as an Agent of Institutional Change, Yuya Kudo, Institute of Developing Economies
- [2] Deuteronomy 25:5–6, NET Bible
- [3] Isupo: Assessing the relevance of Deuteronomy 25:5–10 in the Nigerian Christian context, with particular reference to the Yoruba, Solomon O. Ademiluka, HTS Theological Studies (2023)
- [4] Adventists and Levirate Marriage in East-Central Africa, David Azael Mmbaga, Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists (2021)
- [5] Present-day posthumous reproduction and traditional levirate marriage: two types of interactions, Avishalom Westreich, Journal of Law and the Biosciences (2018)
- [6] Cameroon: The practice of levirate marriage, including the regions of Cameroon where this tradition is widespread and the consequences if a widow refuses, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (2014)
