1 When thou goest out H3318 to battle H4421 against thine enemies, H341 and seest H7200 horses, H5483 and chariots, H7393 and a people H5971 more H7227 than thou, be not afraid H3372 of them: for the LORD H3068 thy God H430 is with thee, which brought thee up H5927 out of the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
Some trust in chariots, H7393 and some in horses: H5483 but we will remember H2142 the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 our God. H430
Be strong H2388 and courageous, H553 be not afraid H3372 nor dismayed H2865 for H6440 the king H4428 of Assyria, H804 nor for all the multitude H1995 that is with him: for there be more H7227 with us than with him: With him is an arm H2220 of flesh; H1320 but with us is the LORD H3068 our God H430 to help H5826 us, and to fight H3898 our battles. H4421 And the people H5971 rested H5564 themselves upon the words H1697 of Hezekiah H3169 king H4428 of Judah. H3063
Be strong H2388 and of a good courage, H553 fear H3372 not, nor be afraid H6206 of them: H6440 for the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 he it is that doth go H1980 with thee; he will not fail H7503 thee, nor forsake H5800 thee.
Woe H1945 to them that go down H3381 to Egypt H4714 for help; H5833 and stay H8172 on horses, H5483 and trust H982 in chariots, H7393 because they are many; H7227 and in horsemen, H6571 because they are very H3966 strong; H6105 but they look H8159 not unto the Holy One H6918 of Israel, H3478 neither seek H1875 the LORD! H3068
Associate H7489 yourselves, O ye people, H5971 and ye shall be broken in pieces; H2865 and give ear, H238 all H3605 ye of far H4801 countries: H776 gird H247 yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; H2865 gird H247 yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. H2865 Take H5779 counsel H6098 together, H5779 and it shall come to nought; H6565 speak H1696 the word, H1697 and it shall not stand: H6965 for God H410 is with us.
When thou passest through H5674 the waters, H4325 I will be with thee; and through the rivers, H5104 they shall not overflow H7857 thee: when thou walkest H3212 through H1119 the fire, H784 thou shalt not be burned; H3554 neither shall the flame H3852 kindle H1197 upon thee.
The LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 is with us; the God H430 of Jacob H3290 is our refuge. H4869 Selah. H5542
There is no king H4428 saved H3467 by the multitude H7230 of an host: H2428 a mighty man H1368 is not delivered H5337 by much H7230 strength. H3581 An horse H5483 is a vain thing H8267 for safety: H8668 neither shall he deliver H4422 any by his great H7230 strength. H2428
And Asa H609 cried H7121 unto the LORD H3068 his God, H430 and said, H559 LORD, H3068 it is nothing with thee to help, H5826 whether H996 with many, H7227 or with them that have no power: H3581 help H5826 us, O LORD H3068 our God; H430 for we rest H8172 on thee, and in thy name H8034 we go H935 against this multitude. H1995 O LORD, H3068 thou art our God; H430 let not man H582 prevail H6113 against thee.
And the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 unto him, and said H559 unto him, The LORD H3068 is with thee, thou mighty H1368 man of valour. H2428
And I commanded H6680 Joshua H3091 at that time, H6256 saying, H559 Thine eyes H5869 have seen H7200 all that the LORD H3068 your God H430 hath done H6213 unto these two H8147 kings: H4428 so shall the LORD H3068 do H6213 unto all the kingdoms H4467 whither thou passest. H5674 Ye shall not fear H3372 them: for the LORD H3068 your God H430 he shall fight H3898 for you.
Sojourn H1481 in this land, H776 and I will be with thee, and will bless H1288 thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, H2233 I will give H5414 all these H411 countries, H776 and I will perform H6965 the oath H7621 which I sware H7650 unto Abraham H85 thy father; H1
By H3027 thy servants H5650 hast thou reproached H2778 the Lord, H136 and hast said, H559 By the multitude H7230 of my chariots H7393 am I come up H5927 to the height H4791 of the mountains, H2022 to the sides H3411 of Lebanon; H3844 and I will cut down H3772 the tall H6967 cedars H730 thereof, and the choice H4005 fir trees H1265 thereof: and I will enter H935 into the height H4791 of his border, H7093 and the forest H3293 of his Carmel. H3760 I have digged, H6979 and drunk H8354 water; H4325 and with the sole H3709 of my feet H6471 have I dried up H2717 all the rivers H2975 of the besieged places. H4693
And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 cried H6817 unto the LORD: H3068 for he had nine H8672 hundred H3967 chariots H7393 of iron; H1270 and twenty H6242 years H8141 he mightily H2394 oppressed H3905 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 And Deborah, H1683 a prophetess, H5031 the wife H802 of Lapidoth, H3941 she judged H8199 Israel H3478 at that time. H6256 And she dwelt H3427 under the palm tree H8560 of Deborah H1683 between Ramah H7414 and Bethel H1008 in mount H2022 Ephraim: H669 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 came up H5927 to her for judgment. H4941 And she sent H7971 and called H7121 Barak H1301 the son H1121 of Abinoam H42 out of Kedeshnaphtali, H6943 and said H559 unto him, Hath not the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 commanded, H6680 saying, Go H3212 and draw H4900 toward mount H2022 Tabor, H8396 and take H3947 with thee ten H6235 thousand H505 men H376 of the children H1121 of Naphtali H5321 and of the children H1121 of Zebulun? H2074 And I will draw H4900 unto thee to the river H5158 Kishon H7028 Sisera, H5516 the captain H8269 of Jabin's H2985 army, H6635 with his chariots H7393 and his multitude; H1995 and I will deliver H5414 him into thine hand. H3027 And Barak H1301 said H559 unto her, If thou wilt go H3212 with me, then I will go: H1980 but if thou wilt not go H3212 with me, then I will not go. H3212 And she said, H559 I will surely H1980 go H3212 with thee: notwithstanding H657 the journey H1870 that thou takest H1980 shall not be for thine honour; H8597 for the LORD H3068 shall sell H4376 Sisera H5516 into the hand H3027 of a woman. H802 And Deborah H1683 arose, H6965 and went H3212 with Barak H1301 to Kedesh. H6943
And Joshua H3091 did H6213 unto them as the LORD H3068 bade H559 him: he houghed H6131 their horses, H5483 and burnt H8313 their chariots H4818 with fire. H784
And they went out, H3318 they and all their hosts H4264 with them, much H7227 people, H5971 even as the sand H2344 that is upon the sea H3220 shore H8193 in multitude, H7230 with horses H5483 and chariots H7393 very H3966 many. H7227 And when all these kings H4428 were met together, H3259 they came H935 and pitched H2583 together H3162 at the waters H4325 of Merom, H4792 to fight H3898 against Israel. H3478 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 Be not afraid H3372 because H6440 of them: for to morrow H4279 about this time H6256 will I deliver them up H5414 all slain H2491 before H6440 Israel: H3478 thou shalt hough H6131 their horses, H5483 and burn H8313 their chariots H4818 with fire. H784
Therefore the five H2568 kings H4428 of the Amorites, H567 the king H4428 of Jerusalem, H3389 the king H4428 of Hebron, H2275 the king H4428 of Jarmuth, H3412 the king H4428 of Lachish, H3923 the king H4428 of Eglon, H5700 gathered themselves together, H622 and went up, H5927 they and all their hosts, H4264 and encamped H2583 before Gibeon, H1391 and made war H3898 against it. And the men H582 of Gibeon H1391 sent H7971 unto Joshua H3091 to the camp H4264 to Gilgal, H1537 saying, H559 Slack H7503 not thy hand H3027 from thy servants; H5650 come up H5927 to us quickly, H4120 and save H3467 us, and help H5826 us: for all the kings H4428 of the Amorites H567 that dwell H3427 in the mountains H2022 are gathered together H6908 against us. So Joshua H3091 ascended H5927 from Gilgal, H1537 he, and all the people H5971 of war H4421 with him, and all the mighty H1368 men of valour. H2428 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 Fear H3372 them not: for I have delivered H5414 them into thine hand; H3027 there shall not a man H376 of them stand H5975 before H6440 thee.
When the LORD H3068 thy God H430 shall bring H935 thee into the land H776 whither thou goest H935 to possess H3423 it, and hath cast out H5394 many H7227 nations H1471 before H6440 thee, the Hittites, H2850 and the Girgashites, H1622 and the Amorites, H567 and the Canaanites, H3669 and the Perizzites, H6522 and the Hivites, H2340 and the Jebusites, H2983 seven H7651 nations H1471 greater H7227 and mightier H6099 than thou;
For the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath blessed H1288 thee in all the works H4639 of thy hand: H3027 he knoweth H3045 thy walking H3212 through this great H1419 wilderness: H4057 these forty H705 years H8141 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath been with thee; thou hast lacked H2637 nothing. H1697
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Deuteronomy 20
Commentary on Deuteronomy 20 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 20
This chapter settles the militia, and establishes the laws and ordinances of war,
Deu 20:1-9
Israel was at this time to be considered rather as a camp than as a kingdom, entering upon an enemy's country, and not yet settled in a country of their own; and, besides the war they were now entering upon in order to their settlement, even after their settlement they could neither protect nor enlarge their coast without hearing the alarms of war. It was therefore needful that they should have directions given them in their military affairs; and in these verses they are directed in managing, marshalling, and drawing up their own forces. And it is observable that the discipline of war here prescribed is so far from having any thing in it harsh or severe, as is usual in martial law, that the intent of the whole is, on the contrary, to encourage the soldiers, and to make their service easy to them.
Deu 20:10-20
They are here directed what method to take in dealing with the cities (these only are mentioned, v. 10, but doubtless the armies in the field, and the nations they had occasion to deal with, are likewise intended) upon which they made war. They must not make a descent upon any of their neighbours till they had first given them fair notice, by a public manifesto, or remonstrance, stating the ground of their quarrel with them. In dealing with the worst of enemies, the laws of justice and honour must be observed; and, as the sword must never be taken in hand without cause, so not without cause shown. War is an appeal, in which the merits of the cause must be set forth.