Amplified Bible
Deuteronomy 20:7
7And who is the man who is engaged (legally promised) to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would marry her.’
Deuteronomy 20:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.
- New International Version (NIV)Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And is there any man who has betrothed a wife and has not taken her? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take her.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)And what man is there who is betrothed to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man marry her.’
Context of Deuteronomy 20:7
5The officers shall also speak to the soldiers, saying, ‘What man is there who has built a new house and has not yet dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would dedicate it. 6What man has planted a vineyard and has not put it to use [harvesting its fruit]? Let him go and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would begin to use its fruit. And who is the man who is engaged (legally promised) to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would marry her.’ 8Then the officers shall speak further to the soldiers and say, ‘Who is the man who is afraid and lacks courage? Let him go and return to his house, so that he does not cause his brothers’ courage to fail like his own.’ 9And it shall be when the officers have finished speaking to the soldiers, they shall appoint commanders of armies over them.
Read all of Deuteronomy 20Deuteronomy 20:7 word by word
וּמִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־אֵרַ֤שׂ אִשָּׁה֙ וְלֹ֣א לְקָחָ֔הּ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יִקָּחֶֽנָּה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And what manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- that hath betrothedאָרַשׂ'âraώ · to betrothH781
- a wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- and hath not takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: marryH3947
- her? let him goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- and returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- unto his houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- lest he dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- in the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- and anotherאַחֵר'achêr · anotherH312
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 20:7
- Deuteronomy 22:23“If a young woman who is a virgin is engaged (legally betrothed) to a man, and another man finds her in the city and is intimate with her,
- Deuteronomy 24:5“When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out [to fight] with the army nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at home for one year and shall bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken.
- Matthew 1:18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by [the power of] the Holy Spirit.
- Deuteronomy 28:30You will be pledged to marry a wife, but another man will be intimate with her [before you]; you will build a house, but you will not live in it; you will plant a vineyard, but you will not use its fruit.
- Luke 14:18But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have purchased a piece of land and I have to go out and see it; please consider me excused.’
- 2 Timothy 2:4No soldier in active service gets entangled in the [ordinary business] affairs of civilian life; [he avoids them] so that he may please the one who enlisted him to serve.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 20:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? - It was customary among the Jews to contract matrimony, espouse or betroth, and for some considerable time to leave the parties in the houses of their respective parents: when the bridegroom had made proper preparations, then the bride was brought home to his house, and thus the marriage was consummated. The provisions in this verse refer to a case of this kind; for it was deemed an excessive hardship for a…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7another man marry her: In this situation, if a man died, he would not have children to carry on his name. Ancient Israel considered this to be a great tragedy.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-85-8. And the officers shall speak unto the people--literally, Shoterim, who are called "scribes" or "overseers" (Ex 5:6). They might be keepers of the muster-roll, or perhaps rather military heralds, whose duty it was to announce the orders of the generals (2Ch 26:11). This proclamation (De 20:5-8) must have been made previous to the priest's address, as great disorder and inconvenience must have been occasioned if the serried ranks were broken by the…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 20:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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