Deuteronomy 20:5

Deuteronomy 20:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.
• New International Version (NIV)The 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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying, 'Is there any man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying: ‘What man is there who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.

Context of Deuteronomy 20:5

3And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; 4For Yhwh your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it. 6And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it. 7And 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.

Deuteronomy 20:5 word by word

וְדִבְּר֣וּ הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים֮ אֶל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹר֒ מִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֤ה בַֽיִת־חָדָשׁ֙ וְלֹ֣א חֲנָכ֔וֹ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יַחְנְכֶֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear

• And the officersשֹׁטֵרshôţêr · officialH7860
• shall speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• unto the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• What manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• that hath builtבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• a newחָדָשׁchâdâsh · newH2319
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• and hath not dedicatedחָנַךְchânak · to dedicateH2596
• it? let him goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• and returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• lest he dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• in the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• and anotherאַחֵר'achêr · anotherH312

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 20:5

• Deuteronomy 1:15So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.
• Deuteronomy 16:18Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which Yhwh thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
• Numbers 31:14And Moses was wroth with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle.
• 1 Samuel 17:18And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
• Nehemiah 12:27And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.
• Psalms 30:1I will extol thee, O Yhwh; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 20:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5That hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? - From the title of Psalm 30:1-12, - A Psalm or Song at the Dedication of the House of David - it is evident that it was a custom in Israel to dedicate a new house to God with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving; and this was done in order to secure the Divine presence and blessing, for no pious or sensible man could imagine he could dwell safely in a house that was not under the immediate protection of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5The officers dedicated it - See Exodus 5:6 note. Compare the marginal references. The expression is appropriate, because various ceremonies of a religious kind were customary among the Jews on taking possession of a new house. The immunity conferred in this verse lasted, like that in Deuteronomy 20:7 (compare Deuteronomy 24:5), for one year.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 20:5

• Armies
• Dedication
• House
• Soldiers

In the dictionaries

• Faint
• Fearful
• Army
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Dedicate; Dedication
• 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