Deuteronomy 20:2

Deu 20:2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,

Ver. 2. That the priest shall approach.] For some priests ordinarily went along with the army; not to be Tuba rebellionis, as the Papists said of Zuinglius, nor evangelium flammeum praedicare, as they said of Beza, as a common firebrand or fomenter of discord; but to blow the holy trumpets, "that the people might be remembered before the Lord, and saved from their enemies"; {Num 10:8-9 2Ch 13:12} and to say unto them, as in 2Ch 19:11, "Deal courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good." The valour of the Gauls was admired by the Romans. It proceeded from that instruction of the Druids, their priests, concerning the immortality of the soul, &c.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Deu 20:2. The priest shall approach — The Jews say there was a priest anointed for the purpose, whose office, as we may gather from Num 31:6, was to blow with the trumpet when they were preparing for battle. And shall speak to the people — Probably exhorting them, in the most persuasive manner, to a courageous and undaunted performance of their duty, considering their cause as God’s, and relying on his protection and aid.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 (Num 10:9; Num 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 (Deu 20:3-4) is marked by a brevity and expressiveness admirably suited to the occasion, namely, when the men were drawn up in line.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 2. The priest shall approach, and speak unto the people] The priest on these occasions was the representative of that God whose servant he was, and whose worship he conducted. It is remarkable that almost all ancient nations took their priests with them to battle, as they did not expect success without having the object of their adoration with them, and they supposed they secured his presence by having that of his representative.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(2) The priest.—There is no mention of the Levite here. The priest is named as a distinct personage. The words which the priest are to pronounce are, as it were, the blessing of Jehovah on the campaign. It follows that Israel could not lawfully go to war except when the blessing of Jehovah might be invoked.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. when ye draw nigh] LXX thou drawest nigh: see introd. note.

to the war] Not battle. The captains had still to be appointed (Deu_20:9) and this must have taken place at the start of the campaign, not on the eve of engagement with the foe.

the priest] Or (it may equally be) a priest: see introd.

Hear, O Israel] Deu_4:1; here as there with Pl. vbs following.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

When all things are preparing for it, and it seems unavoidable:

that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people; not any priest, but one appointed for this service; who is called

the anointed of war, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra observe, and concerning whom Maimonides (d) is more particular; he says,"they appoint a priest to speak to the people at the time of war, and they anoint him with the anointing oil, and he is called the anointed of war; twice the anointed of war speaks unto the people, once in a book at the time they go forth, before they set in battle array, he says to the people, "what man is there", &c. and when he has caused his words to be heard, he returns; at another time, when they are set in array, he says, "fear not", &c.''this man seems to be an emblem of Gospel ministers, who are anointed with the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God, and whose business it is to encourage the people of God to fight the Lord's battles against sin, Satan, and the world, and not to be afraid of their spiritual enemies; directing them to take to them the whole armour of God, and to endure hardness as good soldiers of Christ, to follow him the captain of their salvation, assuring them of victory through him who makes them more than conquerors, and that their warfare is or shortly will be accomplished.

(d) Hilchot Melachim, c. 7. sect. 1, 2.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The priest - Not the high priest, but one appointed for the purpose, and called, according to the rabbis, “the anointed of the war”: hence, perhaps the expression of Jer 6:4, etc. “prepare ye” (literally consecrate) “war.” Thus, Phinehas went with the warriors to fight against Midian (Num 31:6; compare 1Sa 4:4, 1Sa 4:11; 2Ch 13:12).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Priest. Eleazar, the high priest, acted in this capacity in the war against Madian, and sounded the trumpet, as it was not beneath his dignity. Many priests always attended the army, (Calmet) the captain of whom (Haydock) first made the declarations (ver. 5, 6, 7,) to the whole army; and these were repeated by the inferior priests at the head of each company, when the army was set in array. So were also the promises of protection, (ver. 3, 4,) when all were ready for battle. The Rabbins assert, that the option was granted only in those wars which were undertaken without the express command of God, and that officers were placed in the rear with hatchets or scythes, to cut the legs of those who attempted to flee. (Grotius; &c.) --- But this seems to be an invention of their own, and Moses makes no distinction between voluntary wars and those of precept. These regulations were, no doubt, observed, through the sacred historians do not mention the particulars. (Calmet) See 1 Machabees iii. 56.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The priest; an eminent priest appointed for this work, and to blow with the holy trumpets, Num 10:9; 31:6.

Speak unto the people; either successively to one regiment of the army after another, or to some by himself, to others by his brethren or deputies, which accompanied him for that end.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. The priest shall approach and speak unto the people — According to the rabbins, the priest who thus accompanied the army was called the “Anointed for the war.” He held a high rank. See Num_31:6.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The priest. Not the high priest or any one of the priests, but the military priest, the priest appointed to accompany the army, "the anointed for the war;" hmjlmh jyvm, as the rabbins designate him (cf. Num_21:6; 1Sa_4:4; 2Ch_13:12) His business was to exhort the people, and to encourage them by reminding them that the Lord was their Leader, and would help them in the conflict. The formula of his exhortation is given in vers. 3, 4.

Vers. 5-7. The officers; the shoterim, the keepers of the genealogical tables. (Deu_16:18) It belonged to them to appoint the men who were to serve, and to release those who had been summoned to the war, but whose domestic relations were such as to entitle them to exemption. If there was one who had built a house, but had not dedicated it, i.e. by taking possession of it and dwelling in it; or if there was one who had planted a vineyard and had not eaten of the fruit thereof; or if there was one who had betrothed a wife, but had not yet married her; such were to be allowed to return home, lest they should die in battle, and it be left to others to consummate what they had begun. According to Josephus, this exemption was for a year, according to the analogy of Deu_24:5. Dedicated; probably formal possession was taken of the house by some solemn ceremony, followed by a festive entertainment. Vineyard. The Hebrew word ( here used designates "a field or park of the nobler plants and trees cultivated in the manner of a garden or orchard" (Ges.); so that not vineyards alone, but also olive yards and plots of the more valuable fruit trees may be intended. Hath not eaten of it; literally, hath not laid it open, made it common, i.e. begun to use it, to gather its produce for common use (cf. Deu_28:30; Jer_31:5) Trees planted for food were not to be used before the fifth year of their growth. (Lev_19:23, etc.; of Deu_24:5)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Speak unto the people - Probably to one regiment of the army after another.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Moses continues speaking to the people of Israel.

speak to the people

"speak to the soldiers of Israel"

Do not let your hearts faint. Do not fear or tremble. Do not be afraid of them

These four expressions all mean the same thing and strongly emphasize that they are not to be afraid. If your language does not have four ways to express this concept, you may use less than four. (See: Parallelism)

Do not let your hearts faint

Here "hearts" represents people's courage. For a heart to faint is an idiom that means "Do not be afraid." (See: Metonymy and Idiom)

Yahweh your God is the one who is going with you to fight for you against your enemies

Yahweh defeating the enemies of the people of Israel is spoken of as if Yahweh were a warrior who would fight along with the people of Israel. (See: Metaphor)

to save you

"to give you victory"

translationWords

priest

Israel

heart

save

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

כקרבכם אל המלחמה [IT SHALL BE] WHEN YE COME NIGH UNTO THE BATTLE, [THAT THE PRIEST … SHALL SPEAK] — i.e. when ye are on the point of leaving the ספר — the boundary of your land (Sifrei Devarim 191).

ונגש הכהן AND “THE” PRIEST SHALL STEP NIGH [AND SPEAK] “the” priest means, he who has been anointed for that purpose; it is the one who is termed in the Talmud משוח מלחמה, “the priest anointed for war” (Sotah 42a).

ודבר אל העם AND HE SHALL SPEAK UNTO THE PEOPLE — in the Holy Language (Sotah 42a).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.