Deuteronomy 20:4

4 For the Lord your God is the One 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Deuteronomy 20:4 In-Context

2 When you are about to engage in battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army.

3 He is to say to them: 'Listen, Israel: Today you are about to engage in battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, alarmed, or terrified because of them.

4 For the Lord your God is the One who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.'

5 "The officers are to address the army, 'Has any man built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him leave and return home. Otherwise, he may die in battle and another man dedicate it.

6 Has any man planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy its fruit? Let him leave and return home. Otherwise he may die in battle and another man enjoy its fruit.