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 in Other Translations

KJV
4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
ESV
4 for the LORD your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.'
NLT
4 For the LORD your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’
MSG
4 God, your God, is right there with you, fighting with you against your enemies, fighting to win."
CSB
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.


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 go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army.
3 He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by 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 shall say to the army: “Has anyone built a new house and not yet begun to live in it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may begin to live in it.
6 Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it.

Cross References 3

  • 1. 2 Chronicles 20:14-22
  • 2. S Exodus 14:14; 1 Chronicles 5:22; Nehemiah 4:20; Deuteronomy 1:30; Deuteronomy 3:22; Joshua 23:10
  • 3. Judges 12:3; Judges 15:18; Psalms 44:7; Psalms 144:10
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