8 When thou buildest H1129 a new H2319 house, H1004 then thou shalt make H6213 a battlement H4624 for thy roof, H1406 that thou bring H7760 not blood H1818 upon thine house, H1004 if any man H5307 fall H5307 from thence.
G1161 On the morrow, G1887 as they G1565 went on their journey, G3596 and G2532 drew nigh G1448 unto the city, G4172 Peter G4074 went up G305 upon G1909 the housetop G1430 to pray G4336 about G4012 the sixth G1623 hour: G5610
And G2532 when they could G1410 not G3361 come nigh G4331 unto him G846 for G1223 the press, G3793 they uncovered G648 the roof G4721 where G3699 he was: G2258 and G2532 when they had broken it up, G1846 they let down G5465 the bed G2895 wherein G1909 G3739 the sick of the palsy G3885 lay. G2621
And the houses H1004 of Jerusalem, H3389 and the houses H1004 of the kings H4428 of Judah, H3063 shall be defiled H2931 as the place H4725 of Tophet, H8612 because of all the houses H1004 upon whose roofs H1406 they have burned incense H6999 unto all the host H6635 of heaven, H8064 and have poured out H5258 drink offerings H5262 unto other H312 gods. H430
The burden H4853 of the valley H1516 of vision. H2384 What aileth thee now, H645 that thou art wholly gone up H5927 to the housetops? H1406
And it came to pass in an eveningtide, H6153 H6256 that David H1732 arose H6965 from off his bed, H4904 and walked H1980 upon the roof H1406 of the king's H4428 house: H1004 and from the roof H1406 he saw H7200 a woman H802 washing H7364 herself; and the woman H802 was very H3966 beautiful H2896 to look upon. H4758
If fire H784 break out, H3318 and catch H4672 in thorns, H6975 so that the stacks of corn, H1430 or the standing corn, H7054 or the field, H7704 be consumed H398 therewith; he that kindled H1197 the fire H1200 shall surely H7999 make restitution. H7999
If an ox H7794 gore H5055 a man H376 or a woman, H802 that they die: H4191 then the ox H7794 shall be surely H5619 stoned, H5619 and his flesh H1320 shall not be eaten; H398 but the owner H1167 of the ox H7794 shall be quit. H5355 But if the ox H7794 were wont to push with his horn H5056 in time past, H8543 H8032 and it hath been testified H5749 to his owner, H1167 and he hath not kept H8104 him in, but that he hath killed H4191 a man H376 or a woman; H802 the ox H7794 shall be stoned, H5619 and his owner H1167 also shall be put to death. H4191 If there be laid H7896 on him a sum of money, H3724 then he shall give H5414 for the ransom H6306 of his life H5315 whatsoever is laid H7896 upon him. Whether he have gored H5055 a son, H1121 or H176 have gored H5055 a daughter, H1323 according to this judgment H4941 shall it be done H6213 unto him. If the ox H7794 shall push H5055 a manservant H5650 or a maidservant; H519 he shall give H5414 unto their master H113 thirty H7970 shekels H8255 of silver, H3701 and the ox H7794 shall be stoned. H5619 And if a man H376 shall open H6605 a pit, H953 or if a man H376 shall dig H3738 a pit, H953 and not cover H3680 it, and an ox H7794 or an ass H2543 fall H5307 therein; The owner H1167 of the pit H953 shall make it good, H7999 and give H7725 money H3701 unto the owner H1167 of them; and the dead H4191 beast shall be his. And if one man's H376 ox H7794 hurt H5062 another's, H7453 that he die; H4191 then they shall sell H4376 the live H2416 ox, H7794 and divide H2673 the money H3701 of it; and the dead H4191 ox also they shall divide. H2673 Or if it be known H3045 that the ox H7794 hath used to push H5056 in time past, H8543 H8032 and his owner H1167 hath not kept H8104 him in; he shall surely H7999 pay H7999 ox H7794 for ox; H7794 and the dead H4191 shall be his own.
Wherefore G1352 I take G3143 you G5213 to record G3143 this G1722 G4594 day, G2250 that G3754 I G1473 am pure G2513 from G575 the blood G129 of all G3956 men. For G1063 I have G5288 not G3756 G3361 shunned G5288 to declare G312 unto you G5213 all G3956 the counsel G1012 of God. G2316
But G1161 whoso G3739 G302 shall offend G4624 one G1520 of these G5130 little ones G3398 which G3588 believe G4100 in G1519 me, G1691 it were better G4851 for him G846 that G2443 a millstone G3458 G3684 were hanged G2910 about G1909 his G846 neck, G5137 and G2532 that he were drowned G2670 in G1722 the depth G3989 of the sea. G2281 Woe G3759 unto the world G2889 because of G575 offences! G4625 for G1063 it must needs G318 be G2076 that offences G4625 come; G2064 but G4133 woe G3759 to that man G444 by G1565 whom G1223 G3739 the offence G4625 cometh! G2064
Son H1121 of man, H120 take up H5375 a lamentation H7015 for Pharaoh H6547 king H4428 of Egypt, H4714 and say H559 unto him, Thou art like H1819 a young lion H3715 of the nations, H1471 and thou art as a whale H8577 H8565 in the seas: H3220 and thou camest forth H1518 with thy rivers, H5104 and troubledst H1804 the waters H4325 with thy feet, H7272 and fouledst H7515 their rivers. H5104 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 I will therefore spread out H6566 my net H7568 over thee with a company H6951 of many H7227 people; H5971 and they shall bring thee up H5927 in my net. H2764 Then will I leave H5203 thee upon the land, H776 I will cast thee forth H2904 upon the open H6440 field, H7704 and will cause all the fowls H5775 of the heaven H8064 to remain H7931 upon thee, and I will fill H7646 the beasts H2416 of the whole earth H776 with thee. And I will lay H5414 thy flesh H1320 upon the mountains, H2022 and fill H4390 the valleys H1516 with thy height. H7419 I will also water H8248 with thy blood H1818 the land H776 wherein thou swimmest, H6824 even to the mountains; H2022 and the rivers H650 shall be full H4390 of thee. And when I shall put thee out, H3518 I will cover H3680 the heaven, H8064 and make H6937 the stars H3556 thereof dark; H6937 I will cover H3680 the sun H8121 with a cloud, H6051 and the moon H3394 shall not give H215 her light. H216 All the bright H3974 lights H216 of heaven H8064 will I make dark H6937 over thee, and set H5414 darkness H2822 upon thy land, H776 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069 I will also vex H3707 the hearts H3820 of many H7227 people, H5971 when I shall bring H935 thy destruction H7667 among the nations, H1471 into the countries H776 which thou hast not known. H3045
Again, H7725 When a righteous H6662 man doth turn H7725 from his righteousness, H6664 and commit H6213 iniquity, H5766 and I lay H5414 a stumblingblock H4383 before H6440 him, he shall die: H4191 because thou hast not given him warning, H2094 he shall die H4191 in his sin, H2403 and his righteousness H6666 which he hath done H6213 shall not be remembered; H2142 but his blood H1818 will I require H1245 at thine hand. H3027
When I say H559 unto the wicked, H7563 Thou shalt surely H4191 die; H4191 and thou givest him not warning, H2094 nor speakest H1696 to warn H2094 the wicked H7563 from his wicked H7563 way, H1870 to save his life; H2421 the same wicked H7563 man shall die H4191 in his iniquity; H5771 but his blood H1818 will I require H1245 at thine hand. H3027
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Deuteronomy 22
Commentary on Deuteronomy 22 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Going deeper and deeper into the manifold relations of the national life, Moses first of all explains in Deuteronomy 22:1-12 the attitude of an Israelite, on the one hand, towards a neighbour; and, on the other hand, towards the natural classification and arrangement of things, and shows how love should rule in the midst of all these relations. The different relations brought under consideration are selected rather by way of examples, and therefore follow one another without any link of connection, for the purpose of exhibiting the truth in certain concrete cases, and showing how the covenant people were to hold all the arrangement of God sacred, whether in nature or in social life.
Deuteronomy 22:1-3
In Deuteronomy 22:1-4 Moses shows, by a still further expansion of Exodus 23:4-5, how the property of a neighbour was to be regarded and preserved. If any man saw an ox or a sheep of his brother's (fellow-countryman) going astray, he was not to draw back from it, but to bring it back to his brother; and if the owner lived at a distance, or was unknown, he was to take it into his own house or farm, till he came to seek it. He was also to do the same with an ass or any other property that another had lost.
Deuteronomy 22:4
A fallen animal belonging to another he was also to help up (as in Exodus 23:5 : except that in this case, instead of a brother generally, an enemy or hater is mentioned).
Deuteronomy 22:5
As the property of a neighbour was to be sacred in the estimation of an Israelite, so also the divine distinction of the sexes, which was kept sacred in civil life by the clothing peculiar to each sex, was to be not less but even more sacredly observed. “ There shall not be man's things upon a woman, and a man shall not put on a woman's clothes .” כּלי does not signify clothing merely, nor arms only, but includes every kind of domestic and other utensils (as in Exodus 22:6; Leviticus 11:32; Leviticus 13:49). The immediate design of this prohibition was not to prevent licentiousness, or to oppose idolatrous practices (the proofs which Spencer has adduced of the existence of such usages among heathen nations are very far-fetched); but to maintain the sanctity of that distinction of the sexes which was established by the creation of man and woman, and in relation to which Israel was not to sin. Every violation or wiping out of this distinction - such even, for example, as the emancipation of a woman - was unnatural, and therefore an abomination in the sight of God.
Deuteronomy 22:6-7
The affectionate relation of parents to their young, which God had established even in the animal world, was also to be kept just as sacred. If any one found a bird's nest by the road upon a tree, or upon the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother sitting upon them, he was not to take the mother with the young ones, but to let the mother fly, and only take the young. נקרא for נקרה , as in Exodus 5:3. The command is related to the one in Leviticus 22:28 and Exodus 23:19, and is placed upon a par with the commandment relating to parents, by the fact that obedience is urged upon the people by the same promise in both instances (vid., Deuteronomy 5:16; Exodus 20:12).
Deuteronomy 22:8-12
Still less were they to expose human life to danger through carelessness. “ If thou build a new house, make a rim ( maakeh ) - i.e., a balustrade - to thy roof, that thou bring not blood-guiltiness upon thy house, if any one fall from it .” The roofs of the Israelitish houses were flat, as they mostly are in the East, so that the inhabitants often lived upon them (Joshua 2:6; 2 Samuel 11:2; Matthew 10:27). - In Deuteronomy 22:9-11, there follow several prohibitions against mixing together the things which are separated in God's creation, consisting partly of a verbal repetition of Leviticus 19:19 (see the explanation of this passage). - To this there is appended in Deuteronomy 22:12 the law concerning the tassels upon the hem of the upper garment (Numbers 15:37.), which were to remind the Israelites of their calling, to walk before the Lord in faithful fulfilment of the commandments of God (see the commentary upon this passage).
Laws of Chastity and Marriage. - Higher and still holier than the order of nature stands the moral order of marriage, upon which the well-being not only of domestic life, but also of the civil commonwealth of nations, depends. Marriage must be founded upon fidelity and chastity on the part of those who are married. To foster this, and secure it against outbreaks of malice and evil lust, was the design and object of the laws which follow. The first (Deuteronomy 22:13-21) relates to the chastity of a woman on entering into the married state, which might be called in question by her husband, either from malice or with justice. The former case is that which Moses treats of first of all. If a man took a wife, and came to her, and hated her, i.e., turned against her after gratifying his carnal desires (like Amnon, for example, 2 Samuel 13:15), and in order to get rid of her again, attributed “deeds or things of words” to her, i.e., things which give occasion for words or talk, and so brought an evil name upon her, saying, that on coming to her he did not find virginity in her. בּתוּלים , virginity, here the signs of it, viz., according to Deuteronomy 22:17, the marks of a first intercourse upon the bed-clothes or dress.
In such a case the parents of the young woman ( הנּער for הנּערה , as in Genesis 24:14, Genesis 24:28, according to the earliest usage of the books of Moses, a virgin, then also a young woman, e.g., Ruth 2:6; Ruth 4:12) were to bring the matter before the elders of the town into the gate (the judicial forum; see Deuteronomy 21:19), and establish the chastity and innocence of their daughter by spreading the bed-clothes before them. It was not necessary to this end that the parents should have taken possession of the spotted bed-clothes directly after the marriage night, as in customarily done by the Bedouins and the lower classes of the Moslem in Egypt and Syria (cf. Niebuhr, Beschr. v. Arab. pp. 35ff.; Arvieux, merkw. Nachr. iii. p. 258; Burckhardt, Beduinen, p. 214, etc.). It was sufficient that the cloth should be kept, in case such a proof might be required.
The elders, as the magistrates of the place, were then to send for the man who had so calumniated his young wife, and to chastise him ( יסּר , as in Deuteronomy 21:18, used to denote bodily chastisement, thought the limitation of the number of strokes to forty save one, may have been a later institution of the schools); and in addition to this they were to impose a fine upon him of 100 shekels of silver, which he was to pay to the father of the young wife for his malicious calumniation of an Israelitish maiden, - twice as much as the seducer of a virgin was to pay to her father for the reproach brought upon him by the humiliation of his daughter (Deuteronomy 22:29); and lastly, they were to deprive the man of the right of divorce from his wife.
In the other case, however, if the man's words were true, and the girl had not been found to be a virgin, the elders were to bring her out before the door of her father's house, and the men of the town were to stone her to death, because she had committed a folly in Israel (cf. Genesis 34:7), to commit fornication in her father's house. The punishment of death was to be inflicted upon her, not so much because she had committed fornication, as because notwithstanding this she had allowed a man to marry her as a spotless virgin, and possibly even after her betrothal had gone with another man (cf. Deuteronomy 22:23, Deuteronomy 22:24). There is no ground for thinking of unnatural wantonness, as Knobel does.
If any one lay with a married woman, they were both of them to be put to death as adulterers (cf. Leviticus 20:10).
In connection with the seduction of a virgin ( נער , puella , a marriageable girl; בּתוּלה , virgo immaculata , a virgin), two, or really three, cases are distinguished; viz., (1) whether she was betrothed (Deuteronomy 22:23-27), or not betrothed (Deuteronomy 22:28, Deuteronomy 22:29); (2) if she were betrothed, whether it was ( a ) in the town (Deuteronomy 22:23, Deuteronomy 22:24) or ( b ) in the open field (Deuteronomy 22:25-27) that she had been violated by a man.
Deuteronomy 22:23-24
If a betrothed virgin had allowed a man to have intercourse with her (i.e., one who was not her bridegroom), they were both of them, the man and the girl, to be led out to the gate of the town, and stoned that they might die: the girl, because she had not cried in the city, i.e., had not called for help, and consequently was to be regarded as consenting to the deed; the man, because he had humbled his neighbour's wife. The betrothed woman was placed in this respect upon a par with a married woman, and in fact is expressly called a wife in Deuteronomy 22:24. Betrothal was the first step towards marriage, even if it was not a solemn act attested by witnesses. Written agreements of marriage were not introduced till a later period (Tobit 7:14; Tr. Ketuboth i. 2).
Deuteronomy 22:25-27
If, on the other hand, a man met a betrothed girl in the field, and laid hold of her and lay with her, the man alone was to die, and nothing was to be done to the girl. “ There is in the damsel no death-sin (i.e., no sin to be punished with death); but as when a man riseth against his neighbour and slayeth him, even so is this matter .” In the open field the girl had called for help, but no one had helped her. It was therefore a forcible rape.
Deuteronomy 22:28-29
The last case: if a virgin was not betrothed, and a man seized her and lay with her, and they were found, i.e., discovered or convicted of their deed, the man was to pay the father of the girl fifty shekels of silver, for the reproach brought upon him and his house, and to marry the girl whom he had humbled, without ever being able to divorce her. This case is similar to the one mentioned in Exodus 22:15-16. The omission to mention the possibility of the father refusing to give him his daughter for a wife, makes no essential difference. It is assumed as self-evident here, that such a right was possessed by the father.
(or Deuteronomy 23:1) This verse, in which the prohibition of incest is renewed by a repetition of the first provision in the earlier law (Leviticus 18:7-8), is no doubt much better adapted to form the close of the laws of chastity and marriage, than the introduction to the laws which follow concerning the right of citizenship in the congregation of the Lord.