Deuteronomy 20
Share
CHAPTER 20
Going to War (20:1–20)
1–4 In this section, Moses gives the Israelites some general principles of warfare. Foremost among them was this: the wars the Israelites would be called upon to fight were really God’s wars; He was the one who would punish the wicked inhabitants of Canaan and also fulfill His covenant promise to give His people a land to live in. God would be fighting alongside His people and giving them the victory (see Exodus 15:3–5 and comment).
To remind the people of this, a priest would address the soldiers before a battle (verse 2);he would tell them that God would be with them and they should not fear (see Deuteronomy 7:17–24). Often the priest would accompany the troops into battle (Numbers 31:6; Joshua 6:1–7).
Today God doesn’t fight wars in the way He fought for ancient Israel. Israel was a theocratic state with God as its King; Israel’s survival needed to be ensured by God’s mighty arm. Today, however, God’s people are not confined to one nation but are present in virtually every nation. Today Christians do not wage “holy wars,” in which a supposedly “holy” nation fights against an “unholy” nation.52 The Gospel of Christ does not advance by the sword.53
However, Christians are engaged today in another kind of warfare: spiritual warfare. We are not fighting for land but for the souls of men and women. And we too have an enemy who has “horses and chariots and an army” (verse 1) that is greater than ours (Ephesians 6:10–12). And we, too, must not fear or grow discouraged when the odds seem against us—because the Lord our God is with us. The battle is His.
5–9 Israel’s army was a “citizen’s army.” As the Israelites began to settle in Canaan, they built houses and planted vineyards; many had reasons to stay at home. So Moses instructed the officers to exempt from the fighting any Israelite whose mind and affection might be focused on something other than the battle at hand. In particular, any fearful person was to be sent home, so that he wouldn’t spread his fear among the other soldiers (verse 8).
10–15 In these verses, Moses gives instructions about attacking distant cities located outside the area that God was going to give to the Israelites. These cities were not to be totally destroyed; they were to be given a chance to sue for peace, and if they refused, only the men were to be executed. And the plunder could be kept by the Israelites for their use.
16–18 But Moses then reminded the Israelites that the Canaanite tribes living within the promised land were to be completely destroyed (see Deuteronomy 7:1–5 and comment). No Canaanite was to be left alive;54 in this way, the Israelites would not be enticed to worship Canaanite gods (verse 18).
19–20 During their battles, the Israelites were not to wantonly harm the environment—especially the fruit trees. After all, God was giving them the land so that, among other things, they might enjoy its fruit.