Deuteronomy 20:9

_AND IT SHALL BE, WHEN THE OFFICERS HAVE MADE AN END OF SPEAKING UNTO THE PEOPLE, THAT THEY SHALL MAKE CAPTAINS OF THE ARMIES TO LEAD THE PEOPLE._ They shall make captains of the armies to lead the people, х_ UWPAAQªDUW_ (H6485) _ SAAREEY_ (H8269) _ TSªBAA'OWT_ (H6635) _ BªRO'SH_ (H7218) _ HAA`AAM_ (H5971)] - and they shall set (appoint) captains of the hosts in the head (front) of the people. When the parties exempted on the specified grounds had been removed, and the whole body of soldiers fit for service was mustered, the army was then arranged in its old familiar division of thousands, hundreds, and families, under their respective captains ...

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....

The meaning is that the “officers” should then subdivide the levies, and appoint leaders of the smaller divisions thus constituted....

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

AND IT SHALL BE, WHEN THE OFFICERS HAVE MADE AN END OF SPEAKING UNTO THE PEOPLE,.... By reciting what the anointed of war said unto them, and by speeches of their own framing, to encourage to the battle; and all were dismissed that had leave to depart, and chose to take it: THAT THEY SHALL MAKE CAPTAINS OF ARMIES TO LEAD ON THE PEOPLE; on to battle; that is, either the officers should do this, which may seem to confirm what has been hinted, that they might be generals of the army, who constituted captains under them, to lead the people on to battle: unless this is to be understood of the princes of Israel, or of the king when they had one, and his ministers; for it does not appear in any instance that the people chose their own officers over them, to go out before them, and lead them on to battle; or "to be at the head of them" z; which the Jewish writers understand in a very different...

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?...

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._ 9. _THEY SHALL MAKE CAPTAINS OF THE ARMIES TO LEAD THE PEOPLE_— _The captains of the armies shall take an account of the sum of the people._ Waterland. In this version the Doctor follows Le Clerc. We follow the LXX, which Houbigant much approves. "Moses," says he, "orders, very appositely, that the commanders should not be appointed before the fearful were allowed to retire; for, had not that been the case, such commanders might have been chosen as were themselves fearful, and who certainly ought to be known before they were invested with command....

(2) EXEMPTIONS FROM MILITARY SERVICE (Deuteronomy 20:5-9) 5 And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it. 6 And what man is there that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not used the fruit thereof? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use the fruit thereof. 7 And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her. 8 And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and faint-hearted? let him go and return to his house, lest his brethren's heart melt as his heart. 9 And it shall be, when the officers have m

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