The Meaning of Deuteronomy 20:5 Explained

Deuteronomy 20:5

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: 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 unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Deuteronomy 20:5 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 20:5 mean?

And shall speak the officers to the people saying who [is] the man who has built a house new and not has dedicated it let him go and return to his house lest he die in the battle and man another dedicate it
וְדִבְּר֣וּ הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים֮ אֶל־ הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹר֒ מִֽי־ הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֤ה בַֽיִת־ חָדָשׁ֙ וְלֹ֣א חֲנָכ֔וֹ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ פֶּן־ יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יַחְנְכֶֽנּוּ

וְדִבְּר֣וּ  And  shall  speak 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים֮  the  officers 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁטַר  
Sense: (Qal) official, officer.
הָעָ֣ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
לֵאמֹר֒  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מִֽי־  who  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
הָאִ֞ישׁ  the  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
בָּנָ֤ה  has  built 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
בַֽיִת־  a  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
חָדָשׁ֙  new 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָדָשׁ  
Sense: new, new thing, fresh.
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
חֲנָכ֔וֹ  has  dedicated  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: חָנַךְ  
Sense: to train, dedicate, inaugurate.
יֵלֵ֖ךְ  let  him  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וְיָשֹׁ֣ב  and  return 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
לְבֵית֑וֹ  to  his  house 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
פֶּן־  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
יָמוּת֙  he  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה  in  the  battle 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
וְאִ֥ישׁ  and  man 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אַחֵ֖ר  another 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: אַחֵר  
Sense: another, other, following.
יַחְנְכֶֽנּוּ  dedicate  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: חָנַךְ  
Sense: to train, dedicate, inaugurate.