Deuteronomy 20
Overview
20:1 The priest's exhortation to encourage the people to battle;
20:5 The officers' proclamation of who are to be dismissed from the war;
20:10 How to use the cities that accept or refuse the proclamation of peace;
20:16 What cities must be devoted;
20:19 Trees of man's meat must not be destroyed in the siege. Verse 1goest outDeuteronomy 3:21, 3:22, 7:1 horsesJoshua 10:5-8, 11:4-6, 11:9; Judges 4:3-9; 2 Chronicles 14:11, 20:12; Psalm 20:7; 33:16, 33:17; Isaiah 31:1, 37:24, 37:25 the LordDeuteronomy 2:7, 31:6, 31:8; Genesis 26:3; Numbers 23:21; Joshua 1:5, 1:9; Judges 6:12; 2 Chronicles 32:7, 32:8; Psalm 46:7, 46:11, 118:6; Isaiah 7:14, 8:9, 8:10, 43:2; Romans 8:31ReciprocalExodus 18:19 - God shall; Numbers 14:9 - the Lord; Deuteronomy 1:21 - fear not; 1:30 - he shall; Joshua 10:8 - General; 17:18 - for thou shalt; 1 Samuel 10:7 - God; 17:32 - Let; 1 Kings 8:44 - go out to battle; 20:1 - and horses; 2 Kings 19:6 - Be not afraid; 2 Chronicles 6:34 - thy people; 15:2 - The Lord; 20:15 - Be not afraid; Ecclesiastes 8:8 - discharge; Isaiah 41:10 - Fear; Zechariah 10:5 - because Verse 2Numbers 10:8, 10:9, 31:6; Judges 20:27, 20:28; 1 Samuel 14:18, 30:7, 30:8; 2 Chronicles 13:12ReciprocalJoshua 6:6 - Take up the ark Verse 3let notPsalm 27:1-3; Isaiah 35:3, 35:4, 41:10-14; Matthew 10:16, 10:28, 10:31; Ephesians 6:11-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; Habakkuk 3:1, 3:1; Revelation 2:10 faintHeb. be tendertrembleHeb. make haste, Isaiah 28:16 be ye terrifiedPsalm 3:6; Isaiah 8:12, 8:13, 57:7, 57:8; Matthew 8:26; Mark 16:6, 16:18; Acts 18:9, 18:10, 27:24; 1 Timothy 6:12; Habakkuk 3:1ReciprocalExodus 14:13 - Fear ye not; Numbers 14:9 - neither; 21:34 - Fear him; Deuteronomy 3:2 - Fear; 31:6 - fear not; 1 Samuel 7:10 - discomfited; 2 Kings 19:6 - Be not afraid; Nehemiah 4:14 - General; Psalm 108:11 - go forth; Isaiah 7:4 - neither be fainthearted; Ephesians 3:13 - ye; 6:10 - be; Habakkuk 3:1 - lest Verse 4to fightDeuteronomy 1:30, 3:22, 11:25, 32:30; Exodus 14:14; Joshua 10:42, 23:10; 2 Chronicles 13:12; 32:7, 32:8; Psalm 144:1, 144:2; Romans 8:37ReciprocalDeuteronomy 9:3 - goeth over; 31:6 - Be strong; Joshua 1:5 - There shall; 23:3 - for the; 1 Samuel 7:10 - discomfited; 2 Kings 19:6 - Be not afraid; 1 Chronicles 22:18 - before the Lord; 2 Chronicles 20:15 - Be not afraid; Nehemiah 4:14 - General; 4:20 - our God; Psalm 60:10 - didst; 108:11 - go forth; Isaiah 28:6 - and for strength; 52:12 - for; Jeremiah 42:11 - for I; Ephesians 6:10 - be Verse 5the officersDeuteronomy 1:15, 16:18; Numbers 31:14, 31:48; 1 Samuel 17:18 dedicatedNehemiah 12:27; Psalm 30:1 *titleReciprocalNumbers 7:10 - dedicating; Nehemiah 3:1 - sanctified it; 2 Timothy 2:4 - that warreth Verse 6eaten of itHeb. made it common, Deuteronomy 28:1-30:20; Leviticus 19:23-25; Jeremiah 31:5 lest he dieIsaiah 65:22; Zephaniah 1:13ReciprocalGenesis 9:20 - planted; Deuteronomy 28:30 - betroth; 1 Corinthians 9:7 - planteth Verse 7betrothed a wifeIt was customary among the Jews to contract matrimony, espouse, or betroth, and for a considerable time to leave the parties in the houses of the respective parents; and when the bridegroom had made proper preparations, then the bride was brought home to his house, and the marriage consummated. The provisions in this verse refer to a case of this kind; though the Jews extend it to him who had newly consummated his marriage, and even to him who had married his brother's wife. It was deemed a peculiar hardship for a person to be obliged to go to battle, who had left a house unfinished, newly purchased land half tilled, or a wife with whom he had just contracted marriage. Deuteronomy 22:23-25, 24:5; Matthew 1:18 lest he dieDeuteronomy 28:30; Luke 14:18-20; 2 Timothy 2:4ReciprocalExodus 21:8 - who hath Verse 8fearfulDeuteronomy 1:28, 23:9; Judges 7:3; Luke 9:62; Acts 15:37, 15:38; Revelation 3:16, 21:8 lest his brethren'sNumbers 13:31-33, 14:1-3, 32:9; 1 Corinthians 15:33 faintHeb. melt, Deuteronomy 1:28 *marg. Exodus 15:15Reciprocal13:17 - the people repent; Joshua 1:14 - the mighty; 2:11 - our hearts; 1 Samuel 13:7 - followed him trembling; Jeremiah 49:23 - fainthearted; Ezekiel 21:7 - and every; 2 Thessalonians 3:13 - be not weary Verse 9to lead the peopleHeb. to be in the head of the people, Deuteronomy 20:9

Verse 10then proclaim2 Samuel 20:18-22; Isaiah 57:19; Zechariah 9:10; Luke 10:5, 10:6; Acts 10:36; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, 6:1; Ephesians 2:17ReciprocalDeuteronomy 2:26 - with words; 7:2 - make no; 21:10 - thou goest; Joshua 9:15 - made peace; Judges 11:12 - sent messengers; 20:12 - sent men; 21:13 - call peaceably Verse 11tributariesLeviticus 25:42-46; Joshua 9:22, 9:23, 9:27, 11:19, 11:20, 16:10; Judges 1:28, 1:30-35; 1 Kings 9:21, 9:22; Psalm 120:7; Luke 19:14ReciprocalDeuteronomy 2:26 - with words; 7:2 - make no; Joshua 9:6 - We be; 9:8 - General; 9:15 - made peace; 17:13 - put the; Judges 11:12 - sent messengers; 2 Samuel 20:18 - They were wont; 2 Kings 6:22 - wouldest Verse 13thou shalt smiteNumbers 31:7-9, 31:17, 31:18; 1 Kings 11:15, 11:16; Psalm 2:6-12, 21:8, 21:9, 110:1; Luke 19:27; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9ReciprocalNumbers 31:15 - General Verse 14the womenNumbers 31:9, 31:12, 31:18, 31:35-54; Joshua 8:2, 11:14; 2 Chronicles 14:13-15, 20:25; Psalm 68:12; Romans 8:37 take unto thyselfHeb. spoilthou shalt eatJoshua 22:8ReciprocalNumbers 31:7 - all; 31:11 - General; 31:53 - General; Deuteronomy 2:35 - General Verse 15ReciprocalJoshua 9:9 - From a; 9:24 - the Lord; Ezekiel 20:11 - which Verse 16Deuteronomy 7:1-4, 7:16; Numbers 21:2, 21:3, 21:35, 33:52; Joshua 6:17-21, 9:24, 9:27, 10:28, 10:40; 11:11, 11:12, 11:14ReciprocalLeviticus 27:28 - no devoted; Numbers 31:15 - General; Deuteronomy 2:33 - the Lord; 2:34 - utterly destroyed; 3:6 - we utterly; 7:2 - utterly; 31:5 - according; Joshua 6:21 - utterly; 9:7 - how shall; 11:20 - as the Lord; Judges 2:2 - And ye shall; 1 Samuel 15:3 - utterly destroy; Psalm 106:34 - concerning; Ezekiel 20:11 - which Verse 17thou shaltIsaiah 34:5, 34:6; Jeremiah 48:10, 50:35-40; Ezekiel 38:21-23; Revelation 19:18 the HittitesDeuteronomy 7:1ReciprocalLeviticus 27:28 - no devoted; Deuteronomy 7:2 - utterly; 31:5 - according; Joshua 6:21 - utterly; 10:28 - them; 11:12 - as Moses; 11:20 - as the Lord; 1 Chronicles 1:14 - Amorite; Ezra 9:1 - of the Canaanites; Psalm 106:34 - concerning; Ezekiel 16:3 - Amorite Verse 18Deuteronomy 7:4, 7:5, 12:30, 12:31, 18:19; Exodus 23:33; Joshua 23:13; Judges 2:3; Psalm 106:34-40; 1 Corinthians 15:33; 2 Corinthians 6:17; Ephesians 5:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:14; 1 Timothy 6:5; 2 Timothy 2:17, 2:18; Revelation 18:3-5ReciprocalLeviticus 18:27 - General; Deuteronomy 12:4 - General; Ezra 9:1 - of the Canaanites Verse 19thou shalt notMatthew 3:10, 7:15-20, 21:19; Luke 13:7-9; John 15:2-8 for the treeetc. or, for, O man, the tree of the field is to be employed in the siege, The original is exceedingly difficult. The LXX has it, "Is the tree in the field a man, to enter the trench before thee?" The Latin Vulgate: "For it is a tree, and not a man, neither can it increase the number of those who war against thee;" Onkelos, "For the tree of the field is not as a man, that it should come against thee in the siege;" and to the same purpose the Arabic, Philo, and Josephus who say, "If trees could speak, they would cry out, that it is unjust that they, who were no cause of the war, should suffer the miseries of it." However rendered, the sense is sufficiently clear, and it is a merciful provision to spare all the fruit trees for the support of both the besieged and besiegers. Deuteronomy 26:6 to employetc. Heb. to go from before theeReciprocal24:6 - life; 2 Kings 3:19 - fell; 3:25 - and felled Verse 20thou shalt buildDeuteronomy 1:28; 2 Chronicles 26:15; Ecclesiastes 9:14; Isaiah 37:33; Jeremiah 6:6, 33:4; Ezekiel 17:17 be subduedHeb. come downReciprocal2 Kings 3:19 - fell; 3:25 - and felled