Deuteronomy 20:1
in Deuteronomy 20When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
When thou goest forth to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, thou shalt not be afraid of them; for Jehovah thy God is with thee, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
KJV
When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 20
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Horses, and chariots - The most formidable elements of an Oriental host, which the Canaanites possessed in great numbers; compare Jos 17:16; Jdg 4:3; 1Sa 13:5. Israel could not match these with corresponding forces (compare Deu 17:16 note and references), but, having the God of battles on its side, was not to be dismayed by them; the assumption being that the war had the sanction of God, and was consequently just.
This site's exposition
When thou goest out to battle
on Deuteronomy 20:1-4
Hear, O Israel opens the priest's charge at verse 3, the fourth and last time the phrase falls in this book after 5:1, 6:4 and 9:1, and the other three open teaching rather than a battle. Horses and chariots are named as the thing not to fear, and 17:16 forbids a king to gather them, so the same arms are denied to the throne and discounted in the field. The ground given for courage is a past event, that God brought them up out of the land of Egypt, which is how this book argues everywhere. Jewish tradition gave the priest of verse 2 a title of his own, the anointed of the war, and Matthew Henry takes up the name.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This encouragement must be particularly addressed to the common soldiers by a priest appointed, and, the Jews say, anointed, for that purpose, whom they call the anointed of the war, a very proper title for our anointed Redeemer, the captain of our salvation: This priest, in God's name, was to animate the people; and who so fit to do that as he whose office it was as priest to pray for them?
When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
When thou goest out to battle - This refers chiefly to the battles they were to have with the Canaanites, in order to get possession of the promised land; for it cannot be considered to apply to any wars which they might have with the surrounding nations for political reasons, as the Divine assistance could not be expected in wars which were not undertaken by the Divine command.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
WHEN THOU GOEST FORTH TO BATTLE AGAINST THINE ENEMIES, AND SEEST HORSES, AND CHARIOTS etc. This is a new commandment which he now declared to them as they came into battles.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | if | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| תֵצֵ֨א | tetze' | you will go out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| לַמִּלְחָמָ֜ה | lamilchamah | to <the> war | H4421 → | 320 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אֹיְבֶ֗יךָ | ʾoyeveikha | enemies your | H341 → | 282 times |
| וְֽרָאִ֜יתָ | veraita | and you will see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| ס֤וּס | sus | horse | H5483 → | 140 times |
| וָרֶ֙כֶב֙ | varekhev | and chariot | H7393 → | 119 times |
| עַ֚ם | ʾam | a people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| רַ֣ב | rav | great | H7227 → | 454 times |
| מִמְּךָ֔ | mimekha | more than you | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִירָ֖א | tira' | you must be afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| מֵהֶ֑ם | mehem | from <the> them | ||
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יְהוָ֤ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| עִמָּ֔ךְ | ʾimakh | [is] with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| הַמַּֽעַלְךָ֖ | hamaalkha | who brought up you | H5927 → | 890 times |
| מֵאֶ֥רֶץ | meeretz | from [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| מִצְרָֽיִם׃ | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
כִּֽי־if
ki-H3588 →4482 times
תֵצֵ֨אyou will go out
tetze'H3318 →1067 times
לַמִּלְחָמָ֜הto <the> war
lamilchamahH4421 →320 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
אֹיְבֶ֗יךָenemies your
ʾoyeveikhaH341 →282 times
וְֽרָאִ֜יתָand you will see
veraitaH7200 →1300 times
ס֤וּסhorse
susH5483 →140 times
וָרֶ֙כֶב֙and chariot
varekhevH7393 →119 times
עַ֚םa people
ʾamH5971 →1873 times
רַ֣בgreat
ravH7227 →454 times
מִמְּךָ֔more than you
mimekhaH4480 →1188 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תִירָ֖אyou must be afraid
tira'H3372 →315 times
מֵהֶ֑םfrom <the> them
mehem
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
יְהוָ֤הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙God your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
עִמָּ֔ךְ[is] with you
ʾimakhH5973 →1050 times
הַמַּֽעַלְךָ֖who brought up you
hamaalkhaH5927 →890 times
מֵאֶ֥רֶץfrom [the] land of
meeretzH776 →2504 times
מִצְרָֽיִם׃Egypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 31:6Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
it leads to
- Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Psalms 27:14
Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!
- Joshua 1:9
Through
Isaiah 43:2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched;…
it leads to
- Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 66:12
You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us into abundance.
- Psalms 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
- Daniel 3:25–27
“Look!” he exclaimed. “I see four men, unbound and unharmed, walking around in the fire—and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!”
- Isaiah 41:10
Through
Deuteronomy 31:8The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
it leads to
- Exodus 33:14
And the LORD answered, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
- Exodus 33:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Deuteronomy
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.