Deuteronomy 20:4

4 for the Lord your God is he who goes with you ¹to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the 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 And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people

3 and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them,

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

5 Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Is there any man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.

6 And is there any man who has planted a vineyard and has not enjoyed its fruit? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man enjoy its fruit.

Cross References

• 1. 20:4 ch. 1:30; 3:22; Josh. 23:10