Deuteronomy 22:6

Deuteronomy 22:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If a bird’s nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young:
• New International Version (NIV)If you come across a bird’s nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"If you come across a bird's nest in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“If a bird’s nest happens to be before you along the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, with the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young;

Context of Deuteronomy 22:6

4You shall not see your countryman’s donkey or his ox fall down along the road, and ignore [your duty to help] them; you shall certainly help him lift it up. 5“A woman shall not wear a man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing; for whoever does these things is utterly repulsive to the Lord your God. “If you happen to come upon a bird’s nest along the road, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother [bird] is sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. 7You shall certainly let the mother go, but you may take the young for yourself, so that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days. 8“When you build a new house, you shall make a railing (parapet) around your [flat] roof, so that you do not bring the guilt of [innocent] blood on your house if someone falls from it.

Deuteronomy 22:6 word by word

כִּ֣י יִקָּרֵ֣א קַן־צִפּ֣וֹר׀ לְפָנֶ֡יךָ בַּדֶּ֜רֶךְ בְּכָל־עֵ֣ץ׀ א֣וֹ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֶפְרֹחִים֙ א֣וֹ בֵיצִ֔ים וְהָאֵ֤ם רֹבֶ֙צֶת֙ עַל־הָֽאֶפְרֹחִ֔ים א֖וֹ עַל־הַבֵּיצִ֑ים לֹא־תִקַּ֥ח הָאֵ֖ם עַל־הַבָּנִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• If a bird’sצִפּוֹרtsippôr tsippôr · birdH6833
• nestקֵןqên · nestH7064
• chanceקָרָאqârâ' · to encounter: chancedH7122
• to be beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• thee in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
• in any treeעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
• or on the groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
• young onesאֶפְרֹחַ'ephrôach · youngH667
• or eggsבֵּיצָהbêytsâh · eggH1000
• and the damאֵם'êm · motherH517
• sittingרָבַץrâbats · to stretchH7257
• thou shalt not takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• with the youngבֵּןbên · son: young animalH1121

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 22:6

• Leviticus 12:6‘When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting a one year old lamb as a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering;
• Genesis 8:17Bring out with you every living thing from all flesh—birds and animals and every crawling thing that crawls on the earth—that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”
• Genesis 32:11Save me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children.
• Leviticus 22:28And whether [the mother] is a cow or a sheep, you shall not kill both it and its young in one day.
• Proverbs 12:10A righteous man has kind regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
• Hosea 10:14Therefore an uproar will arise among your people, And all your fortresses will be destroyed, As Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle, When mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 22:6

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6-8Verses 6-8 These precepts are designed to cultivate a spirit of humanity. Compare Deuteronomy 25:4; Leviticus 22:28; and 1 Corinthians 9:9-10. Deuteronomy 22:8 The roofs of houses in Palestine were flat and used for various purposes. Compare Joshua 2:6; 2 Samuel 11:2; Acts 10:9, etc. A battlement was almost a necessary protection. It was to be, according to the rabbis, at least two cubits high (about 3 ft.).Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-12Verses 5-12 God's providence extends itself to the smallest affairs, and his precepts do so, that even in them we may be in the fear of the Lord, as we are under his eye and care. Yet the tendency of these laws, which seem little, is such, that being found among the things of God's law, they are to be accounted great things. If we would prove ourselves to be God's people, we must have respect to his will and to his glory, and not to the vain fashions of…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-76-7. If a bird's nest chance to be before thee--This is a beautiful instance of the humanizing spirit of the Mosaic law, in checking a tendency to wanton destructiveness and encouraging a spirit of kind and compassionate tenderness to the tiniest creatures. But there was wisdom as well as humanity in the precept; for, as birds are well known to serve important uses in the economy of nature, the extirpation of a species, whether of edible or ravenous…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 22:6

• Animals
• Birds

In the dictionaries

• Astray
• Chance
• Cow
• Egg
• Fowler
• Husband
• Rise
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Dam

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 22

• 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