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Deuteronomy 22:6

in Deuteronomy 22

If you come across a bird’s nest with chicks or eggs, either in a tree or on the ground along the road, and the mother is sitting on the chicks or eggs, you must not take the mother along with the young.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

If a bird’s nest chance to be before thee in the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young:

KJV

If a bird’s nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young:

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This verse in Deuteronomy 22

Commentary

5 notes on this verse
These precepts are designed to cultivate a spirit of humanity. Compare Deu 25:4; Lev 22:28; and 1Co 9:9-10. Deu 22:8 The roofs of houses in Palestine were flat and used for various purposes. Compare Jos 2:6; 2Sa 11:2; Act 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.).

This site's exposition

A woman must not wear men’s clothing

on Deuteronomy 22:5-8

The last of four rules shows what kind of law this is. A railing on a new roof is required “so that you do not bring bloodguilt on your house”. Building safety becomes a question of guilt.

This site's exposition

you must not take the mother

The mother bird sitting on her chicks or eggs goes free. Barnes sets this beside the ox of Deuteronomy 25:4 and the mother and young of Leviticus 22:28.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in any tree, or on the ground,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Now, since it is a thousand pities that she should fare the worse for that which is her praise, the law takes care that she shall be let go. The remembrance of this may perhaps, some time or other, keep us from doing a hard or unkind thing to those whom we have at our mercy.

The words behind it

26 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • כִּ֣יif

    kiH3588 →4482 times

  • יִקָּרֵ֣אit will be met

    yikare'H7122 →139 times

  • קַן־a nest of

    kan-H7064 →

  • צִפּ֣וֹר׀a bird

    tziporH6833 →40 times

  • לְפָנֶ֡יךָ<to> before you

    lefaneikhaH6440 →2123 times

  • בַּדֶּ֜רֶךְby the way

    baderekhH1870 →707 times

  • בְּכָל־in any

    bekholH3605 →5413 times

  • עֵ֣ץ׀tree

    ʾetzH6086 →328 times

  • א֣וֹor

    ʾoH176 →321 times

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • הָאָ֗רֶץthe ground

    haaretzH776 →2504 times

  • אֶפְרֹחִים֙young ones

    ʾefrochimH667 →

  • א֣וֹor

    ʾoH176 →321 times

  • בֵיצִ֔יםeggs

    veitzimH1000 →

  • וְהָאֵ֤םand the mother

    vehaemH517 →220 times

  • רֹבֶ֙צֶת֙[is] lying

    rovetzetH7257 →30 times

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • הָֽאֶפְרֹחִ֔יםthe young ones

    haefrochimH667 →

  • א֖וֹor

    ʾoH176 →321 times

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • הַבֵּיצִ֑יםthe eggs

    habeitzimH1000 →

  • לֹא־not

    lo'-H3808 →5168 times

  • תִקַּ֥חyou will take

    tikachH3947 →966 times

  • הָאֵ֖םthe mother

    haemH517 →220 times

  • עַל־with

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • הַבָּנִֽים׃the young ones

    habanimH1121 →4930 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

6 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Leviticus 22:28But you must not slaughter an ox or a sheep on the same day as its young.7 worksProverbs 12:10A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are only cruelty.4 worksLuke 12:6Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.3 worksGenesis 8:17Bring out all the living creatures that are with you—birds, livestock, and everything that crawls upon the ground—so that they can spread out over the earth and be fruitful and multiply upon it.”3 worksHosea 10:14the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be demolished as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel in the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces along with their children.1 worksGenesis 32:11Please deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid that he may come and attack me and the mothers and children with me.1 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Proverbs 12:10

    A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are only cruelty.

    it leads to

    • Deuteronomy 25:4

      Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.

    • Numbers 22:28–32

      Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”

    • Genesis 33:13–14

      But Jacob replied, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and I must care for sheep and cattle that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard for even a day, all…

  • Through

    Luke 12:6

    Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.

    it leads to

    • Luke 12:24

      Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!

    • Psalms 147:9

      He provides food for the animals, and for the young ravens when they call.

    • Psalms 145:15–16

      The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in season.

  • Through

    Genesis 8:17

    Bring out all the living creatures that are with you—birds, livestock, and everything that crawls upon the ground—so that they can spread out over the earth and be fruitful and multiply upon it.”

    it leads to

    • Genesis 1:22

      Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

  • Through

    Hosea 10:14

    the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be demolished as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel in the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces along with…

    it leads to

    • Hosea 13:16

      Samaria will bear her guilt because she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open.

Where this verse is studied

About Deuteronomy

Moses Viewing the Promised Land, Frederic Edwin Church, 1846. Public domain.
Moses Viewing the Promised Land, Frederic Edwin Church, 1846. Public domain.
Deuteronomy: the study guide →Read Deuteronomy 22 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Deuteronomy 22 →