FocusWorship, justice, and community
Connection to the wholeDetailed commands apply covenant faithfulness to public worship, leadership, households, work, and the care of vulnerable people.
interpretation Deuteronomy 20:1
KJVWhen thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Read it in context
Laws of Warfare
Start reading at Deuteronomy 20:1 (Deuteronomy 20:1 to Deuteronomy 20:20).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
Detailed commands apply covenant faithfulness to public worship, leadership, households, work, and the care of vulnerable people.
- 20:1 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
- 20:2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
- 20:3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;
- 20:4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
- 20:5 And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.
- 20:6 And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.
- 20:7 And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.
- 20:8 And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart.
- 20:9 And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.
- 20:10 When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.
- 20:11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
- 20:12 And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:
- 20:13 And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:
- 20:14 But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.
- 20:15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
- 20:16 But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:
- 20:17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:
- 20:18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.
- 20:19 When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege:
- 20:20 Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.
Who
- Who wrote the book? Moses is the principal speaker and is expressly credited with writing the law. The account of his death was supplied by a later hand; identifying that final writer as Joshua is traditional, not certain. Biblical references: Deuteronomy 31:9; Deuteronomy 31:24; Deuteronomy 34:5. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). stated in the text
- Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Deuteronomy 12:1–26:19): Moses instructs Israel concerning life in the land. Priests, judges, rulers, households, and other groups are addressed within particular laws as members of that covenant community. stated in the text
- Who was the book written to? Israel assembled in Moab before entering Canaan, and their children and later generations who were to hear the law read. Biblical references: Deuteronomy 1:1; Deuteronomy 29:10; Deuteronomy 31:12. stated in the text
What
- What is the topic of this reading unit? Laws of Warfare. Read Deuteronomy 20:1 through Deuteronomy 20:20 as a connected unit. interpretation
- How does it contribute to the book? Detailed commands apply covenant faithfulness to public worship, leadership, households, work, and the care of vulnerable people. interpretation
When
- When are the events or message set? Moses speaks at the end of the wilderness period, before Israel crosses the Jordan. Deuteronomy 1:3 identifies the fortieth year and gives a month and day. book background
Where
- What is the book’s geographic setting? The speeches are set in Moab east of the Jordan, recalling earlier places and anticipating life in Canaan. book background
- Where does the context start? This passage sits in Laws of Warfare (Deuteronomy 20:1 to Deuteronomy 20:20). Start reading at Deuteronomy 20:1. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
- How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? Acts applies Moses' promise of a prophet to Jesus, and Jesus uses Deuteronomy in His answers during temptation. These are explicit New Testament connections to the book. See Deuteronomy 18:15, Acts 3:22, Matthew 4:4, Matthew 4:7. interpretation
- How should this book guide our response? Remember what God has done and join hearing with obedience. Preserve the covenant audience and conditions when applying promises about land, blessing, judgment, and return. interpretation
Cited: Deuteronomy 20:1, Deuteronomy 20:20, Deuteronomy 18:15, Acts 3:22, Matthew 4:4, Matthew 4:7
Who wrote it, and how we know
Moses (traditional)
Named in Scripture
What Scripture saysThe book states plainly that Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests. Jesus and the apostles attribute the Law to Moses.
Deuteronomy 31:9Deuteronomy 31:24Mark 12:26John 5:46
Early traditionJewish tradition (Baba Bathra 14b) and the early church name Moses.
What is debatedChapter 34 records the death of Moses, so even conservative scholars hold that a later hand, often identified as Joshua, added the closing account. Critical scholars date the book much later, to the seventh century B.C.
Related passages
- goest out Deut 3:21-22 Deut 7:1
- horses Josh 10:5-8 Josh 11:4-6,9 Judg 4:3-9 2 Chr 14:11 2 Chr 20:12 Ps 20:7 Ps 33:16-17 Isa 31:1
- the Lord Deut 2:7 Deut 31:6,8 Gen 26:3 Num 23:21 Josh 1:5,9 Judg 6:12 2 Chr 32:7-8 Ps 46:7,11
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Deuteronomy 20
Moses addresses Israel in Moab before the people cross the Jordan. The speeches recall the wilderness, expound covenant obligations, and confront the next generation with choices and consequences. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Deuteronomy 1:1 Deuteronomy 1:5 Deuteronomy 30:19
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Deuteronomy
Moses addresses Israel in Moab before the people cross the Jordan. The speeches recall the wilderness, expound covenant obligations, and confront the next generation with choices and consequences.
Deuteronomy 1:1 Deuteronomy 1:5 Deuteronomy 30:19
Remember the journey and hear the LORD
Deuteronomy 1:1–4:43FocusMemory and covenant faithfulness
Connection to the wholeMoses recounts the journey and urges Israel to remember God's acts and avoid idolatry as the people prepare to enter the land.
interpretation Love and obey the LORD
Deuteronomy 4:44–11:32FocusThe covenant's central demand
Connection to the wholeThe covenant commands and appeals join exclusive devotion to the LORD with hearing, remembering, teaching, and obeying His words.
interpretation FocusWorship, justice, and community
Connection to the wholeDetailed commands apply covenant faithfulness to public worship, leadership, households, work, and the care of vulnerable people.
interpretation Covenant ratification and the choice of life
Deuteronomy 27:1–30:20FocusBlessing, curse, and return
Connection to the wholeThe speeches set out covenant consequences and call Israel to choose life through love and obedience rather than presume upon privilege.
interpretation Moses' final acts and death
Deuteronomy 31:1–34:12FocusSuccession, witness, and blessing
Connection to the wholeJoshua is commissioned, the law and song are entrusted to the people, and Moses blesses Israel before his death.
interpretation Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.