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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Deuteronomy 20:1 - 20:9
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The Selection of Soldiers For a Campaign
v. 1. When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses and chariots, an equipment which Israel did not possess at that time, and which always made the impression of superior power on the part of the enemy, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them, for the battle would not be to the stronger and more numerous by human calculation; for the Lord, thy God, is with thee, as He showed so often in later times, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, thereby showing the extent of His power.
v. 2. And it shall be when ye are come nigh unto the battle, when they are mobilized for war and drawn up in order, to advance to the battle, that the priest, one specially commissioned for that purpose, shall approach and speak unto the people,
v. 3. and shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies; let not your hearts faint, be weak and tender, fear not and do not tremble, be not stirred up with consternation, neither be ye terrified because of them, the expressions purposely being multiplied in order to emphasize the foolishness of fear;
v. 4. for the Lord, your God, is He that goeth with you to fight for you against your enemies, to save you, to effect a rescue from all enemies and to insure the victory.
v. 5. And the officers, the keepers of the genealogical records and of the tribal rolls, whose duty it also was to keep account of the soldiers mustered, 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.
v. 6. And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it, for, by God's command, there could not be a common use of fruit until the fifth year, Lev_19:23-25? Let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.
v. 7. And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her, the formal marriage not yet having taken place? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her Independent human life is here recognized in its three beginnings: "house-building as the first foundation; the planting of the vineyard as the first enlargement of the relations of life; the betrothal as the first completion of the independent position in life. " The Lord did not want the social and economic order disorganized by war; He did not want to take away from His people the enjoyment of any of the blessings which He had supplied.
v. 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 unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint, literally, melt, dissolve, as well as his heart. A single weak soldier, whom the very thought of going into battle filled with the direst misgivings and with terror, was likely to infect the entire army with his attitude.
v. 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, men who were to have the actual command in the campaign and during the battles. All this was done under the direction of Jehovah, who always retained supreme command of His host, just as He is the only Ruler and Leader in His Church to the end of time.