Deuteronomy 20:4

4 for it is the Lord your God who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to give you victory."

Deuteronomy 20:4 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 20:4

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 F6, respects the ark, and so Jarchi, which was a symbol of the divine Presence, and went with them to battle; see ( Joshua 6:4 ) ( 1 Samuel 4:3-5 )

to fight for you against your enemies, to save you;
to annoy and destroy the one, and to protect and save the other; thus far the anointed priest addressed the people in an oration to this purpose: the account Maimonides gives of it is, that

``when they have set their ranks, and are near to a battle, the anointed of war stands on an high place, and all the ranks before him, and says to them in the holy tongue, "hear, O Israel" unto to save you; and then another priest under him causes it to be heard by all the people with an high voice F7;''

he repeated what the anointed of war had said, and expressed it with a loud voice, that all might hear.


FOOTNOTES:

F6 Ut supra. (Misn. Sotab, c. 8. sect. 1.)
F7 Hilchot Melachim, c. 7. sect. 3.

Deuteronomy 20:4 In-Context

2 Before you engage in battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the troops,
3 and shall say to them: "Hear, O Israel! Today you are drawing near to do battle against your enemies. Do not lose heart, or be afraid, or panic, or be in dread of them;
4 for it is the Lord your God who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to give you victory."
5 Then the officials shall address the troops, saying, "Has anyone built a new house but not dedicated it? He should go back to his house, or he might die in the battle and another dedicate it.
6 Has anyone planted a vineyard but not yet enjoyed its fruit? He should go back to his house, or he might die in the battle and another be first to enjoy its fruit.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.