When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.

DEUTERONOMY 22:8KJV
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Deuteronomy 22:8 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 22:8 mean?

Deuteronomy 22:8 instructs people building a new house to put a protective barrier, called a battlement, around the flat roof so that no one will accidentally fall off and be injured or killed. This law holds the homeowner responsible for making the house safe, preventing harm to others.

In this verse, Moses is speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to settle in the promised land. Houses in ancient Israel often had flat roofs used for daily activities, so falling from a roof was a real risk. The command shows a concern for practical safety and personal responsibility in everyday life.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 22:8

  • מַעֲקֶה (ma'akeh, H4624): This word is translated as "battlement" and refers to a low wall or railing built around the edge of a flat roof. It highlights the specific kind of safety feature required, not just any barrier.
  • דָּם (dam, H1818): This word means "blood" and is used here to refer to guilt for someone’s injury or death. The verse connects negligence in safety with moral responsibility for harm.

Why Deuteronomy 22:8 matters

  • Deuteronomy 22:8 shows that the law cared about everyday life, not just religious rituals, by addressing practical safety in the home.
  • The verse emphasizes that people are responsible for preventing harm to others, not just avoiding direct wrongdoing.
  • This command fits into a larger section of Deuteronomy that gives detailed instructions for living justly and thoughtfully in community.

Where else these words appear

“roof” Hebrew H1406 · used in 27 verses

  • Exodus 30:3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.
  • 2 Samuel 11:2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
  • Proverbs 25:24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

“new” Hebrew H2319 · used in 48 verses

  • Exodus 1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
  • 1 Kings 11:29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
  • Isaiah 41:15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.