Matthew 24:17

17 let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house;

Matthew 24:17 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 24:17

Let him which is on the housetop
Who should be there either for his devotion or recreation; for the houses of the Jews were built with flat roofs and battlements about them, which they made use of both for diversion and pleasure, and for private meditation and prayer, for social conversation, and sometimes for public preaching; see ( Matthew 10:27 ) ( Acts 10:9 )

not come down to take anything out of his house:
that is, let him not come down in the inner way, but by the stairs, or ladder, on the outside of the house, which was usual. They had two ways of going out of, and into their houses; the one they call F4, (Myxtp Krd) , "the way of the doors"; the other, (Nygg Krd) , "the way of the roof": upon which the gloss is,

``to go up on the outside, (Mlwp Krd) , "by way" or "means" of a ladder, fixed at the entrance of the door of the upper room, and from thence he goes down into the house by a ladder;''

and in the same way they could come out; see ( Mark 2:4 ) and let him not go into his house to take any of his goods, or money, or food along with him necessary for his sustenance in his flight; lest, whilst he is busy in taking care of these, he loses his life, or, at least, the opportunity of making his escape; so sudden is this desolation represented to be.


FOOTNOTES:

F4 T. Bab. Bava Metzia, fol. 117. 1.

Matthew 24:17 In-Context

15 "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) the `Abomination of Desolation', standing in the Holy Place" --let the reader observe those words--
16 "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills;
17 let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house;
18 nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment.
19 And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants!
The Weymouth New Testament is in the public domain.