INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 20
In this chapter rules are given to be observed in times of war. When a
battle was near, a priest was to address the soldiers, and encourage
them to fight, Deuteronomy 20:1, then the officers were to declare who
might return home, Deuteronomy 20:5 when an enemy's city... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THOU GOEST OUT TO BATTLE AGAINST THINE ENEMIES,.... There were
two sorts of war the Israelites were engaged in, one commanded and
another permitted, as Maimonides c distinguishes; one was by the order
and appointment of God, as against the seven nations of Canaan; the
other was voluntary and ar... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 2 AND IT SHALL BE, WHEN YE ARE COME NIGH UNTO THE BATTLE,....
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 Ezr... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHALL SAY UNTO THEM, HEAR, O ISRAEL,.... Exciting their attention
to what he was about to say, and which, as Jarchi observes, was spoken
in the holy tongue, or in the Hebrew language:
YOU APPROACH THIS DAY UNTO BATTLE AGAINST YOUR ENEMIES; were marching
or ready to march, preparing to engage wi... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS HE THAT GOETH WITH YOU,.... To battle, and
therefore they had no reason to fear and be dismayed, to be
fainthearted, terrified, and tremble:
FEAR NOT, I AM WITH THEE,.... Isaiah 41:10, this, according to the
Misnah f, respects the ark, and so Jarchi, which was a symbol of t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE OFFICERS SHALL SPEAK UNTO THE PEOPLE,.... What these officers
were is not easy to say; they seem not to be officers of the army, for
they are distinguished from captains of the armies, Deuteronomy 20:9,
unless they can be thought to be general officers; but the word for
them is the same that... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHAT MAN IS HE THAT HATH PLANTED A VINEYARD, AND HATH NOT YET
EATEN OF IT?.... Which he has a right to do, and it is hard for him to
be deprived of it, 1 Corinthians 9:7 or "hath not made it common" k;
according to the law in Leviticus 19:23. Three years the fruit of
trees, and so of vines, migh... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHAT MAN IS THERE THAT HATH BETROTHED A WIFE, AND HATH NOT TAKEN
HER?.... Home to his house and bedded with her; has only betrothed
her, but is not properly married to her, the nuptials are not
completed; this the Jews understand of anyone betrothed to him,
whether a virgin or a widow, or the wi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE OFFICERS SHALL SPEAK FURTHER UNTO THE PEOPLE,.... According to
Maimonides n, the priest the anointed of war spoke to the end of
Deuteronomy 20:7 and which the officers repeated after him to the
people aloud, as before observed; and then after that an officer
speaks of himself, or in his own... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE, WHEN THE OFFICERS HAVE MADE AN END OF SPEAKING UNTO
THE PEOPLE,.... By reciting what the anointed of war said unto them,
and by speeches of their own framing, to encourage to the battle; and
all were dismissed that had leave to depart, and chose to take it:
THAT THEY SHALL MAKE CAP... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THOU COMEST NIGH UNTO A CITY TO FIGHT AGAINST IT,.... This is to
be understood of an arbitrary war, as Jarchi observes; which they
engaged in of themselves, or were provoked to by their enemies; which
was their own choice, and according to their own will and pleasure;
and their conduct towards... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE, IF IT MAKE THEE ANSWER OF PEACE,.... Comply with the
terms of peace offered:
AND OPEN UNTO THEE; the gates of the city and its garrisons, and
deliver all into their hands:
THEN IT SHALL BE THAT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT IS FOUND THEREIN; some
having made their escape before the surrende... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF IT WILL MAKE NO PEACE WITH THEE,.... Will not accept of terms
of peace offered:
BUT WILL MAKE WAR AGAINST THEE; come out and fight, or prepare to
defend themselves: then thou shall besiege it; surround and block it
up on all sides with their forces; the Jews say only on three sides,
leaving... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE LORD THY GOD HATH DELIVERED IT INTO THINE HANDS,....
When, what with pressures without, and calamities within, the city is
obliged to surrender: this is not to be imputed to the methods and
arts of war used in besieging, or to the courage and skill of the
besiegers; but to the power and... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE WOMEN, THE LITTLE ONES, AND THE CATTLE,.... These were to be
spared; women, because of the weakness of their sex, and subjection to
their husbands; and little ones, which take in males as well as
females, as Jarchi observes, because of their tender age; and cattle
because of their insensibil... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SHALT THOU DO UNTO ALL THE CITIES WHICH ARE VERY FAR OFF FROM
THEE,.... As all such were reckoned that were without the land of
Israel, even all in their neighbouring nations, the Moabites,
Edomites, Ammonites, Syrians, c. for the children of Israel never went
to war with any very distant natio... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT OF THE CITIES OF THOSE PEOPLE, WHICH THE LORD THY GOD DOTH GIVE
THEE FOR AN INHERITANCE,.... The cities of the seven nations, six of
which are mentioned by name in the next verse:
THOU SHALT SAVE ALIVE NOTHING THAT BREATHETH; the reason of this
severity was because of their wickedness, the capi... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU SHALT UTTERLY DESTROY THEM,.... Men, women, and children:
some think this is to be understood only of such cities which did not
accept of terms of peace; for they are of opinion that Joshua made
proclamation of peace to all the cities of Canaan; which being not
complied with, he destroyed t... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THEY TEACH YOU NOT TO DO AFTER ALL THEIR ABOMINATIONS,.... This
is another reason why they were to be utterly destroyed, not only
because of the abominations which they committed, but to prevent the
Israelites being taught by them to do the same; wherefore, as before
observed from Jarchi, such... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THOU SHALT BESIEGE A CITY A LONG TIME, IN MAKING WAR AGAINST IT
TO TAKE IT,.... Before it will surrender; it holding out the siege a
considerable time: the Hebrew text says, "many days" c; which the
Targum of Jonathan interprets of all the seven days, to make war
against it, in order to subdue... [ Continue Reading ]
ONLY THE TREES WHICH THOU KNOWEST THAT THEY BE NOT TREES FOR meat,....
Which might be known not only by their not having fruit upon them, but
by other tokens, and even at a time of year when there was no fruit on
any, which might be sometimes the season of a siege:
THOU SHALT DESTROY AND CUT THEM D... [ Continue Reading ]