Deuteronomy 22:8

Still less was human life to be exposed to danger through neglect of proper precautions. The houses in Palestine, as in other parts of the East, had fiat roofs, and, as these were much frequented by the inhabitants for various purposes (cf. Joshua 2:6 ; 2 Samuel 11:2 ; 2 Samuel 18:24 ; Nehemiah 8:16 ; Matthew 10:27 ; Acts 10:9 ), it was necessary that a battlement or balustrade should surround the roof, in order to prevent persons falling over. Hence the direction here given.