Deuteronomy 20:10

_WHEN THOU COMEST NIGH UNTO A CITY TO FIGHT AGAINST IT, THEN PROCLAIM PEACE UNTO IT._ When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it. An important principle is here introduced into the war-law of Israel regarding the people they fought against, and the cities they besieged. With "the cities of those people which God doth give thee" in Canaan, it was to be a war of utter extermination (Deuteronomy 20:17). But when on a just occasion they went against other nations, they were first to make a proclamation of peace, which, if allowed by a surrender, the people would become dependent, and, in the relation of tributaries, the conquered nations would receive the highest blessings from alliance with the chosen people: they would be brought to the knowledge of Israel's God and of Israel's worship, as well as a participation of Israel's privileges (see the note at...

10._When thou goest forth to war_. He now teaches that, even in lawful wars, cruelty is to be repressed, and bloodshed to be abstained from as much as possible. He therefore commands that, when they shall have come to take a city, they should first of all exhort its inhabitants to obtain peace by capitulating; and if they should do so, to keep them alive, and to be content with imposing a tribute on them. This principle of equity was naturally implanted in all nations; hence heralds took their rise, (45) nor did they commence a just war without a solemn proclamation. Besides, inasmuch as the word _hostis _(an enemy) formerly signified a foreigner (_peregrinum_,) the Romans mitigated by its mildness the sadness of the reality. On this ground they deemed that faith was to be kept with an enemy; and that sentiment of Cicero is worthy of praise, “that wars must not be undertaken except that...

10-12 The Israelites are here directed about the nations on whom they made war. Let this show God's grace in dealing with sinners. He proclaims peace, and beseeches them to be reconciled. Let it also show us our duty in dealing with our brethren. Whoever are for war, we must be for peace. Of the cities given to Israel, none of their inhabitants must be left. Since it could not be expected that they should be cured of their idolatry, they would hurt Israel. These regulations are not the rules of our conduct, but Christ's law of love. The horrors of war must fill the feeling heart with anguish upon every recollection; and are proofs of the wickedness of man, the power of Satan, and the just vengeance of God, who thus scourges a guilty world. But how dreadful their case who are engaged in unequal conflict with their Maker, who will not submit to render him the easy tribute of worship and p...

Verse Deuteronomy 20:10. _PROCLAIM PEACE UNTO IT._] Interpreters are greatly divided concerning the objects of this law. The text, taken in connection with the context, (see Deuteronomy 20:15-5), appears to state that this proclamation or offer of peace to a city is _only_ to be understood of those cities which were situated _beyond the limits_ _of the seven anathematized nations_, because these latter are commanded to be totally destroyed. Nothing can be clearer than this from the _bare letter of the text_, unless some of the words, taken separately, can be shown to have a different meaning. For the common interpretation, the following reasons are given. God, who knows all things, saw that they were incurable in their idolatry; that the c

Directions intended to prevent wanton destruction of life and property in sieges. Deuteronomy 20:16 Forbearance, however, was not to be shown toward the Canaanite nations, which were to be utterly exterminated (compare Deuteronomy 7:1). The command did not apply to beasts as well as men (compare Joshua 11:11, Joshua 11:14). Deuteronomy 20:19 The parenthesis may he more literally rendered “for man is a tree of the field,” i.

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 COMEST NIGH UNTO A CITY TO FIGHT AGAINST IT,.... This is to be understood of an arbitrary war, as Jarchi observes; which they engaged in of themselves, or were provoked to by their enemies; which was their own choice, and according to their own will and pleasure; and their conduct towards their enemies in it was different from that in a war with the seven nations, commanded by the Lord, and distinguished from it, Deuteronomy 20:15. THEN PROCLAIM PEACE UNTO IT; that is, offer them terms of peace; which were, that the inhabitants of it should renounce idolatry, and become their tributaries and servants....

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?...

PROCLAIM PEACE: i.e. if it belong not to the Canaanites. Compare Matthew 10:12; Matthew 10:13....

_When thou drawest nigh_ Cp. Deuteronomy 20:2. _to fight against it_ With another preposition the same vb is used of attacking or besieging a city, Judges 9:45; 1 Samuel 23:1, etc. _proclaim peace unto it_ Judges 21:13. Negotiations between enemies on the eve of battle were frequent (e.g. Judges 11:12-18; 1 Kings 20:2 ff.) and it cannot have been unusual for besiegers to offer to the besieged their lives on condition of surrender ...