Deuteronomy 22:7

7 You may take the young birds, but you must let the mother bird go free. Then things will go well for you, and you will live a long time.

Deuteronomy 22:7 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 22:7

But thou shall in any wise let the dam go, and take the young
to thee
Or "in letting go, let go", or "in sending, send away" {a}; that is, willingly, certainly, entirely, frequently, always; so the Jewish canons ^F2,

``if anyone lets her go, and she returns, even four or five times, he is obliged to let her go, as it is said, "in letting go, let go";''

nay, Maimonides says ^F3, even a thousand times; the canon proceeds,

``if anyone says, lo, I take the dam and let go the young, he is obliged to let her go; if he takes the young, and returns them again to the nest, and after that returns the dam to them, he is free from letting her go;''

that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days;
the Targum of Jonathan is,

``that it may be well with thee in this world, and thou mayest prolong thy days in the world to come:''

the same blessing that is promised to observers of the fifth command, which is one of the weightier matters of the law, is made to this; which the Jews say ^F4 is but as the value of a farthing, or of little account in comparison of others; wherefore, as Fagius rightly observes {e}, God, in bestowing such rewards, has regard not to the works of men, but to his own grace and kindness; for what merit can there be in letting go or preserving the life of a little bird?

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 (xlvt xlv) "dimittendo dimittes", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; so Ainsworth.
F2 Misn. Cholin, c. 12. sect. 3.
F3 In Misn. ib.
F4 Misn. ib. sect. 5.
F5 In loc.

Deuteronomy 22:7 In-Context

5 A woman must not wear men's clothes, and a man must not wear women's clothes. The Lord your God hates anyone who does that.

6 If you find a bird's nest by the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother bird is sitting on the young birds or eggs, do not take the mother bird with the young birds.

7 You may take the young birds, but you must let the mother bird go free. Then things will go well for you, and you will live a long time.

8 When you build a new house, build a low wall around the edge of the roofn so you will not be guilty if someone falls off the roof.

9 Don't plant two different kinds of seeds in your vineyard. Otherwise, both crops will be ruined.