Deuteronomy 20:1

1 If thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and thou seest a multitude of knights, and of chariots, and a greater multitude of the adversary('s) host than (what) thou hast, thou shalt not dread them; for thy Lord God is with thee, that led thee out of the land of Egypt. (If thou goest out to battle against thy enemies, and thou seest a multitude of horsemen, and of chariots, and a greater multitude of the adversary's army than what thou hast, thou shalt not fear them; for the Lord thy God is with thee, who led thee out of the land of Egypt.)

Deuteronomy 20:1 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 20:1

When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies
There were two sorts of war the Israelites were engaged in, one commanded and another permitted, as Maimonides ^F3 distinguishes; one was by the order and appointment of God, as against the seven nations of Canaan; the other was voluntary and arbitrary, which was left to their own discretion and will, as they saw fit, when they were provoked or distressed, or were invaded by their enemies, or they saw reason to go out against them, and either act the offensive or defensive part, or both; and of each of these some things are said in this chapter:

and seest horses and chariots, and a people more than thou;
the Israelites had no horses, and so no chariots, their armies were all infantry; but their neighbouring nations that made war with them had a large cavalry, and multitudes of chariots, which made them very formidable; thus Shishak, king of Egypt, in the times of Rehoboam, came against Jerusalem with 1200 chariots and 60,000, horsemen, and people without number; and Zerah the Ethiopian, in the times of Asa, came against him with an host of 100,000 men, and three hundred chariots, ( 2 Chronicles 12:2 2 Chronicles 12:3 ) ( 14:9 )

be not afraid of them;
because of the strength of their cavalry, the terrible approaches of their chariots, and the number of their men:

for the Lord thy God is with thee;
hence, as Hezekiah says, more would be with them than with their enemies, with whom was an arm of flesh, but with them the Lord their God, ( 2 Chronicles 32:7 2 Chronicles 32:8 ) and so the Targum of Jonathan,

``for all of them shall be reckoned as one horse and one chariot before the Lord your God;''

with whom numbers are nothing; and which adds,

``for his Word shall be your help;''

the eternal Logos, or Word of God; so Onkelos; and if God and his Word, his only begotten Son, are on the side of his people, they have nothing to fear from enemies, though ever so many and mighty:

which brought thee out of the land of Egypt;
which is observed for the encouragement of their faith and confidence in him; for he that did that for them, what is it he cannot or will not do?

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 Hilchot Melachim, c. 7. sect. 1.

Deuteronomy 20:1 In-Context

1 If thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and thou seest a multitude of knights, and of chariots, and a greater multitude of the adversary('s) host than (what) thou hast, thou shalt not dread them; for thy Lord God is with thee, that led thee out of the land of Egypt. (If thou goest out to battle against thy enemies, and thou seest a multitude of horsemen, and of chariots, and a greater multitude of the adversary's army than what thou hast, thou shalt not fear them; for the Lord thy God is with thee, who led thee out of the land of Egypt.)

2 Soothly when the battle nigheth now, the priest shall stand before the battle array, and thus he shall speak to the people (and he shall speak to the people thus),

3 Thou, Israel, hear today, ye have battle against your enemies; your heart dread not, be ye not afeared; do not ye give stead, dread ye not them; (Hear, O Israel, today ye shall do battle against your enemies; but do not let your heart fear, and do not be afraid; do not ye give place to panic, and do not ye fear them;)

4 for your Lord God is in the midst of you, and he shall fight for you against your adversaries, that he deliver you from peril. (for the Lord your God is in your midst, and he shall fight for you against your adversaries, so that he can save you from peril.)

5 But the leaders shall cry by all the companies, while the host shall hear, (and shall say,) Who is the man that hath builded a new house, and hath hallowed not it? go he and turn again into his house, lest peradventure he die in battle, and another man hallow it. (Then the leaders of the army shall say, in the hearing of all the people, Who is the man who hath built a new house, and hath not yet dedicated it? go he back, and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.)