Deuteronomy 22:8

Deuteronomy 22:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.
• New International Version (NIV)When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring the guilt of blood upon your house, if anyone should fall from it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“When you build a new house, then you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring guilt of bloodshed on your household if anyone falls from it.

Context of Deuteronomy 22:8

6If you happen to notice a bird’s nest along the road, whether in a tree or on the ground, and there are chicks or eggs with the mother bird sitting on them, you must not take the mother from the young. 7You must be sure to let the mother go, but you may take the young for yourself. Do this so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life. If you build a new house, you must construct a guard rail around your roof to avoid being culpable in the event someone should fall from it. 9You must not plant your vineyard with two kinds of seed; otherwise the entire yield, both of the seed you plant and the produce of the vineyard, will be defiled. 10You must not plow with an ox and a donkey harnessed together.

Deuteronomy 22:8 word by word

כִּ֤י תִבְנֶה֙ בַּ֣יִת חָדָ֔שׁ וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ מַעֲקֶ֖ה לְגַגֶּ֑ךָ וְלֹֽא־תָשִׂ֤ים דָּמִים֙ בְּבֵיתֶ֔ךָ כִּֽי־יִפֹּ֥ל הַנֹּפֵ֖ל מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• When thou buildestבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• a newחָדָשׁchâdâsh · newH2319
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• then thou shalt makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• a battlementמַעֲקֶהma‛ăqeh · parapetH4624
• for thy roofגָּגgâg · roofH1406
• that thou bringשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• not bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• if any manנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 22:8

• Exodus 21:28“If an ox gores a man or a woman so that either dies, then the ox must surely be stoned and its flesh must not be eaten, but the owner of the ox will be acquitted.
• Exodus 22:6“If a fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes, so that stacked grain or standing grain or the whole field is consumed, the one who started the fire must surely make restitution.
• Romans 14:13Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.
• 1 Corinthians 10:32Do not give offense to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God,
• Philippians 1:10so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ,
• 1 Thessalonians 5:22Stay away from every form of evil.
• 2 Samuel 11:2One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. Now this woman was very attractive.
• Isaiah 22:1Here is a message about the Valley of Vision: What is the reason that all of you go up to the rooftops?
• Jeremiah 19:13The houses in Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled by dead bodies just like this place, Topheth. For they offered sacrifice to the stars and poured out drink offerings to other gods on the roofs of those houses.’”
• Matthew 10:27What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.
• Mark 2:4When they were not able to bring him in because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Jesus. Then, after tearing it out, they lowered the stretcher the paralytic was lying on.
• Acts 10:9About noon the next day, while they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.
• Ezekiel 3:18When I say to the wicked, “You will certainly die,” and you do not warn him – you do not speak out to warn the wicked to turn from his wicked deed and wicked lifestyle so that he may live – that wicked person will die for his iniquity, but I will hold you accountable for his death.
• Ezekiel 32:2“Son of man, sing a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him: “‘You were like a lion among the nations, but you are a monster in the seas; you thrash about in your streams, stir up the water with your feet, and muddy your streams.
• Matthew 18:6“But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea.
• Acts 20:26Therefore I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of you all.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 22:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8A battlement for thy roof - Houses in the East are in general built with flat roofs, and on them men walk to enjoy the fresh air, converse together, sleep, etc.; it was therefore necessary to have a sort of battlement or balustrade to prevent persons from falling off. If a man neglected to make a sufficient defense against such accidents, and the death of another was occasioned by it, the owner of the house must be considered in the light of a murderer.Read the comment
• 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. 88. thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence--The tops of houses in ancient Judea, as in the East still, were flat, being composed of branches or twigs laid across large beams, and covered with a cement of clay or strong plaster. They were surrounded by a parapet breast high. In summer the roof is a favorite resort for coolness, and accidents would frequently happen from persons…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 22:8

• Battlements
• Homicide
• House

In the dictionaries

• Astray
• Battlement
• Chance
• House
• Husband
• Rise
• Architecture
• Assassination
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism

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