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Deuteronomio 22:8
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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
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.