Deuteronomy 20:7

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

5“The officers are to address the army, ‘Has any man built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him leave and return home. Otherwise, he may die in battle and another man dedicate it. 6Has any man planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy its fruit? Let him leave and return home. Otherwise he may die in battle and another man enjoy its fruit. Has any man become engaged to a woman and not married her? Let him leave and return home. Otherwise he may die in battle and another man marry her.’ 8The officers will continue to address the army and say, ‘Is there any man who is afraid or cowardly? Let him leave and return home, so that his brothers won’t lose heart as he did.’ 9When the officers have finished addressing the army, they will appoint military commanders to lead it.

Deuteronomy 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 22:23If there is a young woman who is a virgin engaged to a man, and another man encounters her in the city and sleeps with her,
• Deuteronomy 24:5“When a man takes a bride, he must not go out with the army or be liable for any duty. He is free to stay at home for one year, so that he can bring joy to the wife he has married.
• Matthew 1:18The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit.
• Deuteronomy 28:30You will become engaged to a woman, but another man will rape her. You will build a house but not live in it. You will plant a vineyard but not enjoy its fruit.
• Luke 14:18“But without exception they all began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. I ask you to excuse me.’
• 2 Timothy 2:4No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the commanding officer.

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

• Armies
• Betrothal
• Soldiers

In the dictionaries

• Faint
• Fearful
• Husband
• Army
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Deuteronomy
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genesis
• Give

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