Deuteronomy 20:2
in Deuteronomy 20When you are about to go into battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it shall be, when ye draw nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
KJV
And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
⋯
This verse in Deuteronomy 20
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThe 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.
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 Awakening1 voice
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.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
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.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
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).
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
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
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָיָ֕ה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כְּקָֽרָבְכֶ֖ם | kekaravekhem | when draw near you | H7126 → | 280 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה | hamilchamah | the battle | H4421 → | 320 times |
| וְנִגַּ֥שׁ | venigash | and he will come near | H5066 → | 125 times |
| הַכֹּהֵ֖ן | hakohen | the priest | H3548 → | 750 times |
| וְדִבֶּ֥ר | vediber | and he will speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָעָֽם׃ | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
וְהָיָ֕הand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
כְּקָֽרָבְכֶ֖םwhen draw near you
kekaravekhemH7126 →280 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַמִּלְחָמָ֑הthe battle
hamilchamahH4421 →320 times
וְנִגַּ֥שׁand he will come near
venigashH5066 →125 times
הַכֹּהֵ֖ןthe priest
hakohenH3548 →750 times
וְדִבֶּ֥רand he will speak
vediberH1696 →1141 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הָעָֽם׃the people
haamH5971 →1873 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
2 Chronicles 13:12Now behold, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with their trumpets sound the battle call against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God…
it leads to
- Numbers 10:8–9
The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to sound the trumpets. This shall be a permanent statute for you and the generations to come.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 5:39
But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Zechariah 10:5
They will be like mighty men in battle, trampling the enemy in the mire of the streets. They will fight because the LORD is with them, and they will put the horsemen to shame.
- Numbers 10:8–9
Through
Numbers 31:6And Moses sent the thousand from each tribe into battle, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, who took with him the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for signaling.
it leads to
- Numbers 14:44
But they dared to go up to the ridge of the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the covenant of the LORD moved from the camp.
- Numbers 14:44
Through
1 Samuel 14:18Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (For at that time it was with the Israelites.)
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 30:7–8
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought it to him,
- 1 Samuel 4:3–5
When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has the LORD brought defeat on us before the Philistines today? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the…
- Judges 20:23
They went up and wept before the LORD until evening, inquiring of Him, “Should we again draw near for battle against our brothers the Benjamites?” And the LORD answered, “Go up against them.”
- 1 Samuel 30:7–8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.