Deuteronomy 20:4

_FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS HE THAT GOETH WITH YOU, TO FIGHT FOR YOU AGAINST YOUR ENEMIES, TO SAVE YOU._ Your God is he that goeth with you. According to Jewish writers, the ark was always taken into the field of combat. But there is no evidence of this in the sacred history; and it must have been a sufficient ground of encouragement to be assured that God was on their side....

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....

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

FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS HE THAT GOETH WITH YOU,.... To battle, and therefore they had no reason to fear and be dismayed, to be fainthearted, terrified, and tremble: FEAR NOT, I AM WITH THEE,.... Isaiah 41:10, this, according to the Misnah f, respects the ark, and so Jarchi, which was a symbol of the divine Presence, and went with them to battle; see Joshua 6:4 TO FIGHT FOR YOU AGAINST YOUR ENEMIES, TO SAVE YOU; to annoy and destroy the one, and to protect and save the other; thus far the anointed priest addressed the people in an oration to this purpose: the account Maimonides gives of it is, that "when they have set their ranks, and are near to a battle, the anointed of war stands on an high place, and all the ranks before him, and says to them in the holy ton

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?...

TO FIGHT FOR YOU. Compare Exodus 14:25.Psalms 3:8; Psalms 35:1....

Of War and Exemptions from Service in it When Israel goes to war with a foe more numerous and having horses and chariots they shall not fear; Jehovah is with them (Deuteronomy 20:1). On the eve of the campaign a priest shall exhort the people (Deuteronomy 20:2-4). Officers shall discharge every man who has built a house and not dedicated it (Deuteronomy 20:5), or planted a vineyard but not completed the rites opening its fruits to common use (Deuteronomy 20:6), or betrothed a wife but not taken her (Deuteronomy 20:7);

_VER._ 4. _FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS HE THAT GOETH WITH YOU_— The ark, the symbol of God's presence, went sometimes before them, and sometimes in the midst of them; Joshua 3:10; Joshua 6:9. So that God was then properly said to go with them; and at all other times he was present to aid them, especially against the people of Canaan, their battles with whom were called _the wars of the Lord._ See Eusebius's Life of the Emperor Constantine, lib. 4: cap. 20. The word rendered _tremble,_ in the 3rd verse, is the same which is elsewhere rendered _to make haste,_ 2 Samuel 4:4.Psalms 48:5. It signifies to be _in haste,_ or hurr

LESSON SIXTEEN DEUTERONOMY 20:1-20; DEUTERONOMY 21:10-14; DEUTERONOMY 23:9-14 g. RULES FOR CONDUCTING THE HOLY WAR (Deuteronomy 20:1-20; Deuteronomy 21:10-14; Deuteronomy 23:9-14) (1) ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE PRIEST (Deuteronomy 20:1-4) When thou goest forth to b

LAWS OF WARFARE 1. Horses and chariots] The army of the Israelites was chiefly composed of infantry: see on Deuteronomy 17:16....