Deuteronomy 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.
Deuteronomy 20:1 in other translations
| BSB | When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you. |
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| WEB | When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses, chariots, and a people more numerous than you, you shall not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, is with you. |
| ASV | When thou goest forth to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, thou shalt not be afraid of them; for Jehovah thy God is with thee, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. |
| YLT | ‘When thou goest out to battle against thine enemy, and hast seen horse and chariot--a people more numerous than thou--thou art not afraid of them, for Jehovah thy God is with thee, who is bringing thee up out of the land of Egypt; |
| DARBY | When thou goest out to war against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more numerous than thou, thou shalt not fear them; for Jehovah thy God is with thee, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. |
| BBE | When you go out to war against other nations, and come face to face with horses and war-carriages and armies greater in number than yourselves, have no fear of them: for the Lord your God is with you, who took you up out of the land of Egypt. |
| Webster | When thou goest out to battle against thy 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, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt. |
What does Deuteronomy 20:1 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
De 20:1-20. The Priests' Exhortation to Encourage the People to Battle.
1. When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies--In the approaching invasion of Canaan, or in any just and defensive war, the Israelites had reason to expect the presence and favor of God.Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Introduction
Directions concerning campaigns, Deu 20:1. The priest shall encourage the people with the assurance that God will accompany and fight for them, Deu 20:2-4. The officers shalt dismiss from the army all who had just built a new house, but had not dedicated it, Deu 20:5. All who had planted a vineyard, but had not yet eaten of its fruits, Deu 20:6. All who had betrothed a wife, but had not brought her home, Deu 20:7. And all who were timid and faint-hearted, Deu 20:8. The commanders to be chosen after the timid, etc., had retired, Deu 20:9. No city to be attacked till they had proclaimed conditions of peace to it, provided it be a city beyond the bounds of the seven Canaanitish nations; if it submitted, it was to become tributary; if not, it was to be besieged, sacked, and all the males put to the sword; the women, children, and cattle to be taken as booty, Deu 20:10-15. No such offers to be made to the cities of the Canaanites; of them nothing shall be preserved, and the reason, Deu 20:16-18. In besieging a city no trees to be cut down but those which do not bear fruit, Deu 20:19, Deu 20:20. Verse 1 When thou goest out to battle - This refers chiefly to the battles they were to have with the Canaanites, in order to get possession of the promised land; for it cannot be considered to apply to any wars which they might have with the surrounding nations for political reasons, as the Divine assistance could not be expected in wars which were not undertaken by the Divine command.Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 20:1-9
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Deuteronomy 20:1 in the original Hebrew
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Deuteronomy 20:1
- 2 Chronicles 32:7-8
Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
- Deuteronomy 31:8
And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
- Psalms 20:7
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
- Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
- Isaiah 43:2
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
- Romans 8:31
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
- Joshua 1:5
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
- Isaiah 31:1
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!
- Isaiah 8:9-10
Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
- Joshua 1:9
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
- Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
- Psalms 118:6
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5 The officers' proclamation of who are to be dismissed from the war.
10 How to use the cities that accept or refuse the proclamation of peace.
16 What cities must be devoted.
19 Trees of man's meat must not be destroyed in the siege.
goest out.
3:21,22; 7:1
horses.
Jos 10:5-8; 11:4-6,9; Jud 4:3-9; 2Ch 14:11; 20:12; Ps 20:7
Ps 33:16,17; Isa 31:1; 37:24,25
the Lord.
2:7; 31:6,8; Ge 26:3; Nu 23:21; Jos 1:5,9; Jud 6:12; 2Ch 32:7,8
Ps 46:7,11; 118:6; Isa 7:14; 8:9,10; 43:2; Ro 8:31
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Deuteronomy 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.
- Deuteronomy 20:2
And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
Deuteronomy 20:1 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | CUANDO salieres á la guerra contra tus enemigos, y vieres caballos y carros, un pueblo más grande que tú, no tengas temor de ellos, que Jehová tu Dios es contigo, el cual te sacó de tierra de Egipto. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Quand tu sortiras pour faire la guerre contre tes ennemis, et que tu verras des chevaux et des chars, un peuple plus nombreux que toi, tu n’auras point peur d’eux; car l’ Éternel, ton Dieu, qui t’a fait monter du pays d’Égypte, est avec toi. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Wenn du wider deine Feinde zum Kriege ausziehst und siehst Roß und Wagen, ein Volk, zahlreicher als du, so sollst du dich nicht vor ihnen fürchten; denn Jehova, dein Gott, ist mit dir, der dich aus dem Lande Ägypten heraufgeführt hat. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Si exieris ad bellum contra hostes tuos, et videris equitatus et currus, et majorem quam tu habeas adversarii exercitus multitudinem, non timebis eos: quia Dominus Deus tuus tecum est, qui eduxit te de terra Ægypti. |