New International Version
Deuteronomy 20:7
7Has 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.”
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.
- 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.’
- New Living Translation (NLT)Has anyone here just become engaged to a woman but not yet married her? Well, you may go home and get married! You might die in the battle, and someone else would marry her.’
Context of Deuteronomy 20:7
5The officers shall say to the army: “Has anyone built a new house and not yet begun to live in it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may begin to live in it. 6Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it. 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.” 8Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.” 9When the officers have finished speaking to the army, they shall appoint commanders over it.
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 22:23If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her,
- Deuteronomy 24:5If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married.
- Matthew 1:18This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.
- Deuteronomy 28:30You will be pledged to be married to a woman, but another will take her and rape her. You will build a house, but you will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will not even begin to enjoy its fruit.
- Luke 14:18“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
- 2 Timothy 2:4No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his 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
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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