Deuteronomy 20:5
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
“Then the officers of the army must address the troops and say, ‘Has anyone here just built a new house but not yet dedicated it? If so, you may go home! You might be killed in the battle, and someone else would dedicate your house.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
Furthermore, the officers are to address the army, saying, “Has any man built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man dedicate it.

King James Bible
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 King James Version
“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.

New American Standard Bible
The officers also shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Who is the man that has built a new house but has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would dedicate it.

NASB 1995
“The officers also shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Who is the man that has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would dedicate it.

NASB 1977
“The officers also shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Who is the man that has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him depart and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.

Legacy Standard Bible
The officers also shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Who is the man that 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.

Amplified Bible
The officers shall also speak to the soldiers, saying, ‘What man is there who has built a new house and has not yet dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would dedicate it.

Christian Standard Bible
“The officers are to address the army, ‘Has any man built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him leave and return home. Otherwise, he may die in battle and another man dedicate it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The officers are to address the army, ‘Has any man built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him leave and return home. Otherwise, he may die in battle and another man dedicate it.

American Standard Version
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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the Scribes will say to the people: 'Who is the man who built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him return, let him go to his house, lest he be killed in war and another man will dedicate it.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the scribes shall speak to the people, saying, What man is he that has built a new house, and has not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man dedicate it.

Contemporary English Version
Then the tribal officials will say to the troops: If any of you have built a new house, but haven't yet moved in, you may go home. It isn't right for you to die in battle and for somebody else to live in your new house.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the captains shall proclaim through every band in the hearing of the army: 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.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The officers should tell the troops, "If you have built a new house but not dedicated it, you may go home. Otherwise, you might die in battle, and someone else will dedicate it.

Good News Translation
"Then the officers will address the men and say, 'Is there any man here who has just built a house, but has not yet dedicated it? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, if he is killed in battle, someone else will dedicate his house.

International Standard Version
"Furthermore, let the officials ask the army, 'Is there a man here who has built a new house but has not yet dedicated it? Let him go back home. Otherwise, he may die in battle and another man dedicate it.

JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Literal Standard Version
And the authorities have spoken to the people, saying, Who [is] the man that has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in battle and another man dedicate it.

Majority Standard Bible
Furthermore, the officers are to address the army, saying, “Has any man built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man dedicate it.

New American Bible
Then the officials shall speak to the army: “Is there anyone who has built a new house and not yet dedicated it? Let him return home, lest he die in battle and another dedicate it.

NET Bible
Moreover, the officers are to say to the troops, "Who among you has built a new house and not dedicated it? He may go home, lest he die in battle and someone else dedicate it.

New Revised Standard Version
Then the officials shall address the troops, saying, “Has anyone built a new house but not dedicated it? He should go back to his house, or he might die in the battle and another dedicate it.

New Heart English Bible
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.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the officers shall speak to 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 should die in the battle, and another man should dedicate it.

World English Bible
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.

Young's Literal Translation
And the authorities have spoken unto the people, saying, Who is the man that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? -- let him go and turn back to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man dedicate it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Laws of Warfare
4For the LORD your God goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.” 5Furthermore, the officers are to address the army, saying, “Has any man built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man dedicate it. 6Has any man planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy its fruit? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man enjoy its fruit.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 20:6
Has any man planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy its fruit? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man enjoy its fruit.

Nehemiah 12:27
At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from all their homes and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.


Treasury of Scripture

And the officers shall speak to the people, saying, What man is there that 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.

the officers

Deuteronomy 1:15
So 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 16:18
Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

Numbers 31:14,48
And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle…

dedicated

Nehemiah 12:27
And 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.

Psalm 30:1
A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David. I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.

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Deuteronomy 20
1. The priest's exhortation to encourage the people to battle
5. The officers' proclamation of who are to be dismissed from the war
10. How to use the cities that accept or refuse the proclamation of peace
16. What cities must be devoted
19. Trees must not be destroyed in the siege














(5) And the officers.--The shoterim of Deuteronomy 16:18; the civil magistrates apparently. The organisation of Israel was not military, but military leaders were to be appointed for special services, as appears by Deuteronomy 20:9, "they shall make captains of the armies." The captains of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens were called shoterim (Deuteronomy 1:15).

(5-8) What man is there . . .--These questions show that, primarily, all Israelites of military age (20 to 50) were expected to attend the muster; then those who were unprepared for the campaign were suffered to depart. The only recorded instance of the observance of these rules is in Judges 7:3, at the muster of Gideon's army. The proclamation "Whosoever, is afraid let him depart," sent away 22,000 out of 32,000 on that occasion, or rather more than two-thirds of the army!

Verses 5-7. - The officers; the shoterim, the keepers of the genealogical tables (Deuteronomy 16:18). It belonged to them to appoint the men who were to serve, and to release those who had been summoned to the war, but whose domestic relations were such as to entitle them to exemption. If there was one who had built a house, but had not dedicated it, i.e. by taking possession of it and dwelling in it; or if there was one who had planted a vineyard and had not eaten of the fruit thereof; or if there was one who had betrothed a wife, but had not yet married her; - such were to be allowed to return home, lest they should die in battle, and it be left to others to consummate what they had begun. According to Josephus, this exemption was for a year, according to the analogy of Deuteronomy 24:5. Dedicated; probably formal possession was taken of the house by some solemn ceremony, followed by a festive entertainment. Vineyard. The Hebrew word (כֶּרֶם) here used designates "a field or park of the nobler plants and trees cultivated in the manner of a garden or orchard" (Ges.); so that not vineyards alone, but also olive yards and plots of the more valuable fruit trees may be intended. Hath not eaten of it; literally, hath not laid it open, made it common, i.e. begun to use it, to gather its produce for common use (cf. Deuteronomy 28:30; Jeremiah 31:5). Trees planted for food were not to be used before the fifth year of their growth (Leviticus 19:23, etc.; cf. Deuteronomy 24:5).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Furthermore, the officers
הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים֮ (haš·šō·ṭə·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7860: A scribe, an official superintendent, magistrate

are to address
וְדִבְּר֣וּ (wə·ḏib·bə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

the army,
הָעָ֣ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

saying,
לֵאמֹר֒ (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Has any
מִֽי־ (mî-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

man
הָאִ֞ישׁ (hā·’îš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

built
בָּנָ֤ה (bā·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1129: To build

a new
חָדָשׁ֙ (ḥā·ḏāš)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2319: New

house
בַֽיִת־ (ḇa·yiṯ-)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

and not
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

dedicated it?
חֲנָכ֔וֹ (ḥă·nā·ḵōw)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2596: To narrow, to initiate, discipline

Let him return
יֵלֵ֖ךְ (yê·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

home,
לְבֵית֑וֹ (lə·ḇê·ṯōw)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

or
פֶּן־ (pen-)
Conjunction
Strong's 6435: Removal, lest

he may die
יָמוּת֙ (yā·mūṯ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

in battle
בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה (bam·mil·ḥā·māh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4421: A battle, war

and another
אַחֵ֖ר (’a·ḥêr)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 312: Hinder, next, other

man
וְאִ֥ישׁ (wə·’îš)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

dedicate it.
יַחְנְכֶֽנּוּ׃ (yaḥ·nə·ḵen·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2596: To narrow, to initiate, discipline


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 20:5 The officers shall speak to the people (Deut. De Du)
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