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Sunday, July 13th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

Deuteronomy 22:8

"When you build a new house, you must build a railing around the edge of its flat roof. That way you will not be considered guilty of murder if someone falls from the roof.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Battlements;   Homicide;   House;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Houses;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Battlement;   House;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Kill, Killing;   Love;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Alms;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Battlement;   House;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Architecture in the Biblical Period;   Bloodguilt;   House;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Clean and Unclean;   Crimes and Punishments;   Deuteronomy;   House;   Leviticus;   Medicine;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - House (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Battlements;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Battlement;   Dwelling;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Battlement;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Division of the Earth;   Houses;   Roofs;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Architecture;   Assassination;   Deuteronomy;   Manslayer;   New;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Commandments, the 613;   Dog;   Hammurabi;   Health Laws;   Hiring and Letting;   House;   Police Laws;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If you build a new house, make a railing around your roof, so that you don’t bring bloodguilt on your house if someone falls from it.
Hebrew Names Version
When you build a new house, then you shall make a battlement for your roof, that you don't bring blood on your house, if any man fall from there.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
"When you build a new house then you shall make a parapet wall for your roof, so that you will not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone should fall from it.
English Standard Version
"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 Century Version
When you build a new house, build a low wall around the edge of the roof so you will not be guilty if someone falls off the roof.
New English Translation
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.
Amplified Bible
"When you build a new house, you shall make a railing (parapet) around your [flat] roof, so that you do not bring the guilt of [innocent] blood on your house if someone falls from it.
New American Standard Bible
"When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you will not bring guilt for bloodshed on your house if anyone falls from it.
Geneva Bible (1587)
When thou buildest a newe house, thou shalt make a battlemet on thy roofe, that thou lay not blood vpo thine house, if any man fal thence.
Legacy Standard Bible
"When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you will not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone falls from it.
Contemporary English Version
If you build a house, make sure to put a low wall around the edge of the flat roof. Then if someone falls off the roof and is killed, it won't be your fault.
Complete Jewish Bible
(iii) "When you build a new house, you must build a low wall around your roof; otherwise someone may fall from it, and you will be responsible for his death.
Darby Translation
When thou buildest a new house, thou shalt make a parapet for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thy house, if any one should in any wise fall from it.
Easy-to-Read Version
"When you build a new house, you must build a wall around your roof. Then you will not be guilty for the death of a person who falls from the house.
George Lamsa Translation
When you build a new house, you must make a parapet for your roof, that no man may fall from it, and bring blood upon your house.
Good News Translation
"When you build a new house, be sure to put a railing around the edge of the roof. Then you will not be responsible if someone falls off and is killed.
Literal Translation
When you build a new house, then you shall make a guard rail for your roof, so that you do not put blood on your house if someone falls from it.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whan thou buyldest a new house, make a battelment aboute thy rofe, that thou lade not bloude vpon thine house, yf eny man fall therof.
American Standard Version
When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thy house, if any man fall from thence.
Bible in Basic English
If you are building a house, make a railing for the roof, so that the blood of any man falling from it will not come on your house.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
When thou buyldest a newe house, thou shalt make a battlement on the roofe, that thou lade not blood vpon thyne house if any man fal from thence.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a parapet for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thy house, if any man fall from thence.
King James Version (1611)
When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roofe, that thou bring not blood vpon thine house, if any man fall from thence.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
If thou shouldest build a new house, then shalt thou make a parapet to thy house; so thou shalt not bring blood-guiltiness upon thy house, if one should in any wise fall from it.
English Revised Version
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.
Berean Standard Bible
If you build a new house, you are to construct a railing around your roof, so that you do not bring bloodguilt on your house if someone falls from it.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
thou schalt make a wal of the roof bi cumpas, lest blood be sched out in thin hows, and thou be gilti, if another man slidith, and falle in to a dich.
Young's Literal Translation
`When thou buildest a new house, then thou hast made a parapet to thy roof, and thou dost not put blood on thy house when one falleth from it.
Update Bible Version
When you build a new house, then you shall make a battlement for your roof, that you do not bring blood on your house, if any man falls from there.
Webster's Bible Translation
When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou mayest not bring blood upon thy house, if any man shall fall from thence.
World English Bible
When you build a new house, then you shall make a battlement for your roof, that you don't bring blood on your house, if any man fall from there.
New King James Version
"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.
New Life Bible
"When you build a new house, you should put a short wall around your roof. Then no one will fall from it and bring the guilt of blood upon your house.
New Revised Standard
When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof; otherwise you might have bloodguilt on your house, if anyone should fall from it.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
When thou buildest a new house, then shalt thou make a parapet to thy roof, so shalt thou not treasure up blood-guiltiness against thy house, for he that is in danger of falling might fall therefrom.
Douay-Rheims Bible
When thou buildest a new house, thou shalt make a battlement to the roof round about: lest blood be shed in thy house, and thou be guilty, if any one slip, and fall down headlong.
Revised Standard Version
"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 any one fall from it.
THE MESSAGE
When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof to make it safe so that someone doesn't fall off and die and your family become responsible for the death.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you will not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone falls from it.

Contextual Overview

5 "A woman must not put on men's clothing, and a man must not wear women's clothing. Anyone who does this is detestable in the sight of the Lord your God. 6 "If you happen to find a bird's nest in a tree or on the ground, and there are young ones or eggs in it with the mother sitting in the nest, do not take the mother with the young. 7 You may take the young, but let the mother go, so that you may prosper and enjoy a long life. 8 "When you build a new house, you must build a railing around the edge of its flat roof. That way you will not be considered guilty of murder if someone falls from the roof. 9 "You must not plant any other crop between the rows of your vineyard. If you do, you are forbidden to use either the grapes from the vineyard or the other crop. 10 "You must not plow with an ox and a donkey harnessed together. 11 "You must not wear clothing made of wool and linen woven together. 12 "You must put four tassels on the hem of the cloak with which you cover yourself—on the front, back, and sides.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

then thou shalt: The eastern houses being built with flat roofs, which were used for various purposed, as walking, sleeping, etc., it was therefore necessary to have a sort of battlement, or balustrade, to prevent accidents, by people falling off. Exodus 21:28-36, Exodus 22:6, Romans 14:13, 1 Corinthians 10:32, Philippians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:22

thy roof: 2 Samuel 11:2, Isaiah 22:1, Jeremiah 19:13, Matthew 10:27, Mark 2:4, Acts 10:9

thou bring: Ezekiel 3:18, Ezekiel 3:20, Ezekiel 32:2-9, Matthew 18:6, Matthew 18:7, Acts 20:26, Acts 20:27

Reciprocal: Joshua 2:6 - to the roof Judges 16:27 - the roof 1 Samuel 9:25 - the top 2 Kings 1:2 - a lattice 2 Kings 23:12 - on the top Nehemiah 8:16 - the roof Isaiah 15:3 - on the Matthew 24:17 - the housetop Luke 5:19 - housetop

Cross-References

Genesis 18:14
Is anything too hard for the Lord ? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son."
Genesis 22:19
Then they returned to the servants and traveled back to Beersheba, where Abraham continued to live.
Genesis 22:20
Soon after this, Abraham heard that Milcah, his brother Nahor's wife, had borne Nahor eight sons.
2 Chronicles 25:9
Amaziah asked the man of God, "But what about all that silver I paid to hire the army of Israel?" The man of God replied, "The Lord is able to give you much more than this!"
Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible."
John 1:29
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:36
As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, "Look! There is the Lamb of God!"
Revelation 5:6
Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth.
Revelation 5:12
And they sang in a mighty chorus: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered— to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing."
Revelation 7:14
And I said to him, "Sir, you are the one who knows." Then he said to me, "These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

When thou buildest a new house,.... Which is to be understood of a house to dwell in, not of a granary, barn, or stable, or such like, and every house that is not four cubits square, as Maimonides observes f:

then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof; in the Talmud g it is asked, what is the meaning of, or why is it said, "thy roof?" to except synagogues and schools; the gloss upon which is, synagogues, c. do not belong to any single person, and besides are no dwelling place. A battlement, as Jarrift describes it, was a fence round the roof or, as more fully described by Kimchi h, it was an edifice made for a roof round about it, ten hands high, or more, that a person might not fall from it; so Ben Melech from him. The reason of this law was, because the roofs of houses in those countries were flat, on which they used to walk for diversion and recreation, or retire for devotion, meditation, prayer, and social conversation; such they were in the times of the Canaanites, Joshua 2:6 and in the times of Saul and David, 1 Samuel 9:25 and in the times of the New Testament;

1 Samuel 9:25- :,

1 Samuel 9:25- :,

1 Samuel 9:25- :,

1 Samuel 9:25- :, and so in later times, and to this day. Rauwolff i, traveller in those parts, relates, that at Tripoli in Phoenicia,

"they have low houses, ill built, and flat at the top, as they are generally in the east; for they cover their houses with a flat roof or floor, so that you may walk about as far as the houses go, and the neighbours walk over the tops of their houses to visit one another; and sometimes in the summer they sleep on the top of them.''

Now to prevent falling from thence, and mischief thereby, such a battlement as before described was ordered:

that thou bring not blood upon thy house; be not the occasion of blood being shed, or contract guilt of blood through negligence of such a provision the law directs to, the guilt of manslaughter, or of shedding innocent blood in thy house, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem; hence the Talmudists k extend this to other things, and by this law also they suppose men are bound to guard against all dangers in any other way; as if a man had a well or pit of water in his courtyard, he ought either to put a cover over it, or to make a fence round it as high as this battlement l:

if any man fall from thence; that is, if a man walking on the roof of an house should make a slip or a false step, and stumble and reel, and so be falling, and fall from thence; which might have been prevented, even his falling from thence or to the ground, if such a battlement had been made.

f Hilchot Rotzeach, c. 11. sect. 1. g T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 136. 1. So Maimonides, ib. sect. 2. h Sepher Shorash. rad. עקה. i Travels, par. 1. c. 2. p. 17. Ed. Ray. k T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 15. 2. l Maimon. Hilchot Rotzeach, c. 11. sect. 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 Jos 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.).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 22:8. A 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, c. 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 defence 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.


 
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