Deuteronomy 20:1

_WHEN THOU GOEST OUT TO BATTLE AGAINST THINE ENEMIES, AND SEEST HORSES, AND CHARIOTS, AND A PEOPLE MORE THAN THOU, BE NOT AFRAID OF THEM: FOR THE LORD THY GOD IS WITH THEE, WHICH BROUGHT THEE UP OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT._ When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies. All the males of 20 years and upward were liable to serve, and during a campaign could not leave without an express permission from the commander. The following rules, although of course prospective in their obligation, were not a merely provisional or temporary arrangement in prospect of an impending war, but were to be of standing authority in Israel, after the people, having become settled in their possessions, should have begun to build houses, to plant vineyards, and to marry wives. In the approaching invasion of Canaan, or in any just and defensive war, the Israelites had reason to expect the presence and favou...

1_When thou goest out to battle. _This law also, which concerns their political government, is a Supplement to the First Commandment, enacting that they should carry on their wars under the auspices of God, and, trusting in His help, should follow Him as their leader. For it behoved them to give this proof of their piety, so as to look to God not less in war than in peace, and not to rest their hopes of safety on anything but the invocation of His name. Whence we gather that the worship of God should be by no means passed over in civil and earthly government; for, although its direct object is to preserve mutual equity between men, yet religion always ought to hold the first, place. The sum, therefore, is that, amidst the very clang of arms, they must not be in such confusion as not to recognize that they are under the guardianship of God, or to lose the confidence they will be safe in r...

1-9 In the wars wherein Israel engaged according to the will of God, they might expect the Divine assistance. The Lord was to be their only confidence. In these respects they were types of the Christian's warfare. Those unwilling to fight, must be sent away. The unwillingness might arise from a man's outward condition. God would not be served by men forced against their will. Thy people shall be willing, Psalms 110:3. In running the Christian race, and fighting the good fight of faith, we must lay aside all that would make us unwilling. If a man's unwillingness rose from weakness and fear, he had leave to return from the war. The reason here given is, lest his brethren's heart fail as well as his heart. We must take heed that we fear not with the fear of them that are afraid, Isaiah 8:12....

CHAPTER XX _Directions concerning campaigns_, 1. _The priest shall encourage the people with the assurance that_ _God will accompany and fight for them_, 2-4. _The officers shalt dismiss from the army all who had just built_ _a new house, but had not dedicated it_, 5. _All who had planted a vineyard, but had not yet eaten of its_ _fruits_, 6. _All who had betrothed a wife, but had not brought her home_, 7. _And all who were timid and faint-hearted_, 8. _The commanders to be chosen after the timid, c., had retired_, 9....

HORSES, AND CHARIOTS - The most formidable elements of an Oriental host, which the Canaanites possessed in great numbers; compare Joshua 17:16; Jdg 4:3; 1 Samuel 13:5. Israel could not match these with corresponding forces (compare Deuteronomy 17:16 note and references), but, having the God of battles on its side, was not to be dismayed by them; the assumption being that the war had the sanction of God, and was consequently just....

EXPOSITION DIRECTIONS CONCERNING WARFARE IN GENERAL, AND FOR THE BESIEGING OF CITIES IN PARTICULAR. DEUTERONOMY 20:1 The instructions in this chapter are peculiar to Deuteronomy. As the people of God, Israel was not a warlike nation; they were rather to abstain from warfare, and as a general rule to cultivate the arts of peace. But they had before them at this time the prospect of a serious and protracted conflict before they could occupy the land which God had assigned to them; and they might in future years have to go to war to maintain their independence and repel aggression. In view of this, instructions are here given

WHEN THOU GOEST OUT TO BATTLE AGAINST THINE ENEMIES,.... There were two sorts of war the Israelites were engaged in, one commanded and another permitted, as Maimonides c distinguishes; one was by the order and appointment of God, as against the seven nations of Canaan; the other was voluntary and arbitrary, which was left to their own discretion and will, as they saw fit, when they were provoked or distressed, or were invaded by their enemies, or they saw reason to go out against them, and either act the offensive or defensive part, or both; and of each of these some things are said in this chapter: AND SEEST HORSES AND CHARIOTS, AND A PEOPLE MORE THAN THOU; the Israelites had no horses, and so no chariots, their armies were all infantry; but their neighbouring nations that made war with them had a large cavalry, and multitudes of chariots, which made them very formidable; thus Shishak,...

DEUTERONOMY 20. LAWS TO BE OBSERVED DURING WAR. Peculiar to cf. Deuteronomy 21:10 (which some attach immediately to ch. 20) and Deuteronomy 23:9; Deuteronomy 24:5 (see remarks prefixed to Deuteronomy 19:14 ff.). The general effect of these laws is to soften the barbarities of war, though in some respects (Deuteronomy 20:13) they perpetuate its grossest cruelties. What were the wars which suggested these regulations?...

ENEMIES. Hebrew text has singular, but some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, Targum of Onkelos, Syriac, and Vulgate, read the plural, as Authorized Version. THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ App-4. GOD. Hebrew. _Elohim._ App-4....

_When thou goest forth to_ WAR, etc.] So Deuteronomy 21:10, cp. Deuteronomy 23:9 (10). On _go forth_see Deuteronomy 13:13 (14). _Enemies_, so Sam. LXX; Heb. _enemy_(but collective). _and seest horses, and chariots_ Foreign to early Israel, see on Deuteronomy 17:16 Joshua 17:16; Judges 1:19; Judges 4:3. AND a people mor