Deuteronomy 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

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

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).

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].