Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 20:7
And 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.
7. that hath betrothed, etc.] Cp. Deu 24:5, exempting the newly-married from service for a year. The reason can hardly be that he was unclean for, as in the case of other married men, this obstacle could be removed (2Sa 11:6 f.). Evidently the motive is humane, in the wife’s interests, or in order to secure descendants to the man himself.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 7. Betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her?] It was customary among the Jews to contract matrimony, espouse or betroth, and for some considerable time to leave the parties in the houses of their respective parents: when the bridegroom had made proper preparations, then the bride was brought home to his house, and thus the marriage was consummated. The provisions in this verse refer to a case of this kind; for it was deemed an excessive hardship for a person to be obliged to go to battle, where there was a probability of his being slain, who had left a new house unfinished; a newly purchased heritage half tilled; or a wife with whom he had just contracted marriage. Homer represents the case of Protesilaus as very afflicting, who was obliged to go to the Trojan war, leaving his wife in the deepest distress, and his house unfinished.
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‘ ,
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ILIAD, 1. ii., ver. 100.
“A wife he left,
To rend in Phylace her bleeding cheeks,
And an unfinish’d mansion: first he died
Of all the Greeks; for as he leap’d to land,
Long ere the rest, a Dardan struck him dead.”
COWPER.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Betrothing was done by a solemn and mutual promise, but not by an actual contract. See Gen 19:14; Deu 22:23.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her?…. Home to his house and bedded with her; has only betrothed her, but is not properly married to her, the nuptials are not completed; this the Jews understand of anyone betrothed to him, whether a virgin or a widow, or the wife of a deceased brother (yea, they say, if his brother is dead in war, he returns and comes home), but not of a former wife divorced and received again m:
let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in battle, and another man take her; or marry her.
m Misn. Sotah, ib. sect. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
7. What man hath betrothed a wife The exemption from military service to the betrothed is, in Deu 24:5, also applied to the newly married man, who was free from obligation to serve in the army for a year.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ver. 7. Hath betrothed a wife See Selden de Uxor. Heb. lib. 3: cap. 3 and Schickard, Jus. Reg. cap. 5 theor. 17. This was a law of no less policy and prudence than humanity. Josephus says: “Those who had built a house, betrothed a wife, &c. were not obliged to go to war; because the desire to preserve themselves for the enjoyment of these things, which must needs be dear to them, must have lessened their courage, and made them extremely careful of their lives.” Antiq. lib. 4: cap. 8. Nor was any thing more reasonable, than that conjugal love should not be disturbed, but have time to knit in a firm and lasting affection.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Deu 20:7 And 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.
Ver. 8. That is fearful and faint hearted. ] This cowardly passion dispirits a man, expectorates his manliness, and exposeth him to the cruel mercy of an enemy. Better be temerarious than timorous! “Ye fugitives of Ephraim,” is no small brand of dishonour; Jdg 12:4 besides that melting and trying judgments follow such at heels as account one pair of heels worth two pair of hands. Jer 9:3-7 The French fled so fast before the English at the battle of Terwin, that it was called the battle of Spurs. a
Lest his brethren’s hearts.] Cowardice is catching, and shows that men, like stags, have great horns, but want hearts.
a Paul Jovius.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
betrothed a wife: It was customary among the Jews to contract matrimony, espouse, or betroth, and for a considerable time to leave the parties in the houses of the respective parents; and when the bridegroom had made proper preparations, then the bride was brought home to his house, and the marriage consummated. The provisions in this verse refer to a case of this kind; though the Jews extend it to him who had newly consummated his marriage, and even to him who had married his brother’s wife. It was deemed a peculiar hardship for a person to be obliged to go to battle, who had left a house unfinished, newly purchased land half tilled, or a wife with whom he had just contracted marriage. Deu 22:23-25, Deu 24:5, Mat 1:18
lest he die: Deu 28:30, Luk 14:18-20, 2Ti 2:4
Reciprocal: Exo 21:8 – who hath
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Deu 20:7-8. Hath betrothed a wife The time allowed in this case was a year, Deu 24:5. This was a law of great humanity, that conjugal love might not be disturbed, but have time to knit into a firm and lasting affection. What man is fearful and faint-hearted This fearfulness is to be understood, say the Jews, not only of a natural timorousness, which is incident to some constitutions, and makes a man tremble at every danger, but of the adventitious terrors of a guilty conscience. For they did not, as in the modern fashion, send the wickedest and most worthless into the wars; but if they knew any man to be a notorious villain, they thrust him out of the army, lest his example should corrupt and discourage the rest of the soldiery.