Deuteronomy 20:7

7 Or if any man is newly married and has had no sex relations with his wife, let him go back to his house, so that in the event of his death in the fight, another man may not take her.

Deuteronomy 20:7 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 20:7

And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not
taken her?
&c.] Home to his house and bedded with her; has only betrothed her, but is not properly married to her, the nuptials are not completed; this the Jews understand of anyone betrothed to him, whether a virgin or a widow, or the wife of a deceased brother (yea, they say, if his brother is dead in war, he returns and comes home), but not of a former wife divorced and received again ^F13:

let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in battle, and
another man take her;
or marry her.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 Misn. Sotah, ib. sect. 2.

Deuteronomy 20:7 In-Context

5 And let the overseers say to the people, If there is any man who has made for himself a new house and has not gone into it, let him go back to his house, so that in the event of his death in the fight, another may not take his house for himself.

6 Or if any man has made a vine-garden without taking the first-fruits of it, let him go back to his house, so that in the event of his death in the fight, another may not be the first to make use of the fruit.

7 Or if any man is newly married and has had no sex relations with his wife, let him go back to his house, so that in the event of his death in the fight, another man may not take her.

8 And let the overseers go on to say to the people, If there is any man whose heart is feeble with fear, let him go back to his house before he makes the hearts of his countrymen feeble.

9 Then, after saying these words to the people, let the overseers put captains over the army.