申命记 20:5

Chinese NCV (Simplified)

官長也要對人民宣告：‘誰建造了新房屋，還沒有行過奉獻禮的，他可以回家去，恐怕他死在戰場上，別人去為他的房屋行奉獻禮。

Parallel Translations

Chinese Union (Simplified)
官 长 也 要 对 百 姓 宣 告 说 ： 谁 建 造 房 屋 ， 尚 未 奉 献 ， 他 可 以 回 家 去 ， 恐 怕 他 阵 亡 ， 别 人 去 奉 献 。

Contextual Overview

¹ When you go to war against your enemies and you see horses and chariots and an army that is bigger than yours, don't be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, will be with you. ² The priest must come and speak to the army before you go into battle. ³ He will say, "Listen, Israel! Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Don't lose your courage or be afraid. Don't panic or be frightened, ⁴ because the Lord your God goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies and to save you." ⁵ The officers should say to the army, "Has anyone built a new house but not given it to God? He may go home, because he might die in battle and someone else would get to give his house to God. ⁶ Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? He may go home, because he might die in battle and someone else would enjoy his vineyard. ⁷ Is any man engaged to a woman and not yet married to her? He may go home, because he might die in battle and someone else would marry her." ⁸ Then the officers should also say, "Is anyone here afraid? Has anyone lost his courage? He may go home so that he will not cause others to lose their courage, too." ⁹ When the officers finish speaking to the army, they should appoint commanders to lead it.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the officers: Deuteronomy 1:15, Deuteronomy 16:18, Numbers 31:14, Numbers 31:48, 1 Samuel 17:18

dedicated: Nehemiah 12:27, Psalms 30:1, *title

Reciprocal: Numbers 7:10 - dedicating Nehemiah 3:1 - sanctified it 2 Timothy 2:4 - that warreth

Cross-References

Joshua 22:22
"The Lord is God of gods! The Lord is God of gods! God knows, and we want you to know also. If we have done something wrong, you may kill us.

1 Kings 9:4
"But you must serve me as your father David did; he was fair and sincere. You must obey all I have commanded and keep my laws and rules.

2 Kings 20:3
" Lord , please remember that I have always obeyed you. I have given myself completely to you and have done what you said was right." Then Hezekiah cried loudly.

1 Chronicles 29:17
I know, my God, that you test people's hearts. You are happy when people do what is right. I was happy to give all these things, and I gave with an honest heart. Your people gathered here are happy to give to you, and I rejoice to see their giving.

Job 33:9
You said, ‘I am pure and without sin; I am innocent and free from guilt.

Psalms 7:8
Lord , judge the people. Lord , defend me because I am right, because I have done no wrong, God Most High.

Psalms 24:4
Only those with clean hands and pure hearts, who have not worshiped idols, who have not made promises in the name of a false god.

Psalms 25:21
My hope is in you, so may goodness and honesty guard me.

Psalms 26:6
I wash my hands to show I am innocent, and I come to your altar, Lord .

Psalms 73:13
So why have I kept my heart pure? Why have I kept my hands from doing wrong?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the officers shall speak unto the people,.... What these officers were is not easy to say; they seem not to be officers of the army, for they are distinguished from captains of the armies, Deuteronomy 20:9, unless they can be thought to be general officers; but the word for them is the same that is used of such that attended the judges and were ministers to them, Deuteronomy 16:18, and perhaps they were a sort of heralds that published and proclaimed what the anointed of war had said; and so the above writer h affirms, that what here follows was first spoken by him, and after that (what is said, Deuteronomy 20:3) the anointed of war speaks, saying,

what man is there,.... (to the end of Deuteronomy 20:7) thus far the anointed of war speaks, and then an officer causes all the people to hear it with an high voice, saying,

what man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? or perfected it, as the Targum of Jonathan, not quite finished it, has not, as that paraphrast says, fixed in it the door posts, or rather perhaps he means the Mezuzah, or writing, which the Jews thought themselves obliged to fasten to the door posts of their houses; see

Deuteronomy 11:20 until this was done, an house was not thought to be completed; though Jarchi interprets this of inhabitation; of a man's having built a house, but has not yet dwelt in it; see Deuteronomy 28:30, so Josephus i explains it, of its not having been used and enjoyed by a man a full year; but there seems to be something more than all this in dedication; for though it does not signify a consecration or dedication of it to holy uses, as the dedication of the tabernacle and temple, yet there was something done, some ceremony used at entrance into a new house; a good man entered into it, no doubt, with prayer and praise, as the thirtieth psalm was composed by David at the dedication of his house; see Nehemiah 12:27 and perhaps it was usual to have their friends together, and make a cheerful entertainment on the occasion. Ben Melech on the place, assures us it was a custom to make a feast and merriment at eating the first meal in a new house:

let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it; or perfect it, as the above Targum, or dwell in it, as well as have the pleasure of entertaining his friends in it at the first opening of it; this was either a command, enjoining a man, in such a circumstance, to return, and so the rest that follow, or a permission to him, allowing him to do it if he thought fit.

h Hilchot Melachim, c. 7. sect. 3. i Antiqu. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 41.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 20:5. That hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? — From the title of Psalms 30:1, - 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 God. Hence it has been a custom in the most barbarous nations to consecrate a part of a new house to the deity they worshipped. The houses of the inhabitants of Bonny, in Africa, are generally divided into three apartments: one is a kind of state room or parlour; another serves for a common room, or kitchen; and the third is dedicated to the Juju, the serpent god, which they worship; for even those savages believe that in every house their god should have his temple! At the times of dedication among the Jews, besides prayer and praise, a feast was made, to which the relatives and neighbours were invited. Something of this custom is observed in some parts of our own country in what is called warming the house; but in these cases the feasting only is kept up - the prayer and praise forgotten! so that the dedication appears to be rather more to Bacchus than to Jehovah, the author of every good and perfect gift.