14 But the women, H802 and the little ones, H2945 and the cattle, H929 and all that is in the city, H5892 even all the spoil H7998 thereof, shalt thou take H962 unto thyself; and thou shalt eat H398 the spoil H7998 of thine enemies, H341 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath given H5414 thee.
And thirty H7970 and two H8147 thousand H505 persons H5315 H120 in all, H3605 of women H802 that had not known H3045 man H2145 by lying H4904 with him. And the half, H4275 which was the portion H2506 of them that went out H3318 to war, H6635 was in number H4557 three H7969 hundred H3967 thousand H505 and seven H7651 and thirty H7970 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred H3967 sheep: H6629 And the LORD'S H3068 tribute H4371 of the sheep H6629 was six H8337 hundred H3967 and threescore and fifteen. H7657 H2568 And the beeves H1241 were thirty H7970 and six H8337 thousand; H505 of which the LORD'S H3068 tribute H4371 was threescore and twelve. H7657 H8147 And the asses H2543 were thirty H7970 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred; H3967 of which the LORD'S H3068 tribute H4371 was threescore H8346 and one. H259 And the persons H120 H5315 were sixteen H8337 H6240 thousand; H505 of which the LORD'S H3068 tribute H4371 was thirty H7970 and two H8147 persons. H5315 And Moses H4872 gave H5414 the tribute, H4371 which was the LORD'S H3068 heave offering, H8641 unto Eleazar H499 the priest, H3548 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses. H4872 And of the children H1121 of Israel's H3478 half, H4276 which Moses H4872 divided H2673 from the men H582 that warred, H6633 (Now the half H4275 that pertained unto the congregation H5712 was three H7969 hundred H3967 thousand H505 and thirty H7970 thousand H505 and seven H7651 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred H3967 sheep, H4480 H6629 And thirty H7970 and six H8337 thousand H505 beeves, H1241 And thirty H7970 thousand H505 asses H2543 and five H2568 hundred, H3967 And sixteen H8337 H6240 thousand H505 persons;) H5315 H120 Even of the children H1121 of Israel's H3478 half, H4276 Moses H4872 took H3947 one H259 portion H270 of fifty, H2572 both of man H120 and of beast, H929 and gave H5414 them unto the Levites, H3881 which kept H8104 the charge H4931 of the tabernacle H4908 of the LORD; H3068 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses. H4872 And the officers H6485 which were over thousands H505 of the host, H6635 the captains H8269 of thousands, H505 and captains H8269 of hundreds, H3967 came near H7126 unto Moses: H4872 And they said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Thy servants H5650 have taken H5375 the sum H7218 of the men H582 of war H4421 which are under our charge, H3027 and there lacketh H6485 not one man H376 of us. We have therefore brought H7126 an oblation H7133 for the LORD, H3068 what every man H376 hath gotten, H4672 of jewels H3627 of gold, H2091 chains, H685 and bracelets, H6781 rings, H2885 earrings, H5694 and tablets, H3558 to make an atonement H3722 for our souls H5315 before H6440 the LORD. H3068 And Moses H4872 and Eleazar H499 the priest H3548 took H3947 the gold H2091 of them, even all wrought H4639 jewels. H3627 And all the gold H2091 of the offering H8641 that they offered up H7311 to the LORD, H3068 of the captains H8269 of thousands, H505 and of the captains H8269 of hundreds, H3967 was sixteen H8337 H6240 thousand H505 seven H7651 hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 shekels. H8255 (For the men H582 of war H6635 had taken spoil, H962 every man H376 for himself.) And Moses H4872 and Eleazar H499 the priest H3548 took H3947 the gold H2091 of the captains H8269 of thousands H505 and of hundreds, H3967 and brought H935 it into the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 for a memorial H2146 for the children H1121 of Israel H3478 before H6440 the LORD. H3068
And Asa H609 and the people H5971 that were with him pursued H7291 them unto Gerar: H1642 and the Ethiopians H3569 were overthrown, H5307 that they could not recover H4241 themselves; for they were destroyed H7665 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and before H6440 his host; H4264 and they carried away H5375 very H3966 much H7235 spoil. H7998 And they smote H5221 all the cities H5892 round about H5439 Gerar; H1642 for the fear H6343 of the LORD H3068 came upon them: and they spoiled H962 all the cities; H5892 for there was exceeding much H7227 spoil H961 in them. They smote H5221 also the tents H168 of cattle, H4735 and carried away H7617 sheep H6629 and camels H1581 in abundance, H7230 and returned H7725 to Jerusalem. H3389
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 20
Commentary on Deuteronomy 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
De 20:1-20. The Priests' Exhortation to Encourage the People to Battle.
1. When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies—In the approaching invasion of Canaan, or in any just and defensive war, the Israelites had reason to expect the presence and favor of God.
2-4. when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people—Jewish writers say that there was a war priest appointed by a special ceremonial to attend the army. It was natural that the solemn objects and motives of religion should have been applied to animate patriotism, and so give additional impulse to valor; other people have done this. But in the case of Israel, the regular attendance of a priest on the battlefield was in accordance with their theocratic government, in which everything was done directly by God through His delegated ministers. It was the province of this priest to sound the trumpets (Nu 10:9; 31:6), and he had others under him who repeated at the head of each battalion the exhortations which he addressed to the warriors in general. The speech (De 20:3, 4) is marked by a brevity and expressiveness admirably suited to the occasion, namely, when the men were drawn up in line.
4. your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save 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.
5-8. And the officers shall speak unto the people—literally, Shoterim, who are called "scribes" or "overseers" (Ex 5:6). They might be keepers of the muster-roll, or perhaps rather military heralds, whose duty it was to announce the orders of the generals (2Ch 26:11). This proclamation (De 20:5-8) must have been made previous to the priest's address, as great disorder and inconvenience must have been occasioned if the serried ranks were broken by the departure of those to whom the privilege was granted. Four grounds of exemption are expressly mentioned: (1) The dedication of a new house, which, as in all Oriental countries still, was an important event, and celebrated by festive and religious ceremonies (Ne 12:27); exemption for a year. (2) The planting of a vineyard. The fruit of the first three years being declared unfit for use, and the first-fruits producible on the fourth, the exemption in this case lasted at least four years. (3) The betrothal of a wife, which was always a considerable time before marriage. It was deemed a great hardship to leave a house unfinished, a new property half cultivated, and a recently contracted marriage; and the exemptions allowed in these cases were founded on the principle that a man's heart being deeply engrossed by something at a distance, he would not be very enthusiastic in the public service. (4) The ground of exemption was cowardice. From the composition of the Israelitish army, which was an irregular militia, all above twenty years being liable to serve, many totally unfit for war must have been called to the field; and it was therefore a prudential arrangement to rid the army of such unwarlike elements—persons who could render no efficient service, and the contagion of whose craven spirit might lead to panic and defeat.
9. they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people—When the exempted parties have withdrawn, the combatants shall be ranged in order of battle.
10-20. When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto 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 (De 20:17, 18). 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 [De 20:11], 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. But if the besieged city refused to capitulate and be taken, a universal massacre was to be made of the males while the women and children were to be preserved and kindly treated (De 20:13, 14). By this means a provision was made for a friendly and useful connection being established between the captors and the captives; and Israel, even through her conquests, would prove a blessing to the nations.
19. thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them—In a protracted siege, wood would be required for various purposes, both for military works and for fuel. But fruit-bearing trees were to be carefully spared; and, indeed, in warm countries like India, where the people live much more on fruit than we do, the destruction of a fruit tree is considered a sort of sacrilege.
20. thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee—It is evident that some sort of military engines were intended; and accordingly we know, that in Egypt, where the Israelites learned their military tactics, the method of conducting a siege was by throwing up banks, and making advances with movable towers, or with the testudo [Wilkinson].