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Deuteronomy 20:3

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Deuteronomy 20:3 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “and shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye draw nigh this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint; fear not, nor tremble, neither be ye affrighted at them;” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

and shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye draw nigh this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint; fear not, nor tremble, neither be ye affrighted at them;
Deuteronomy 20:3 — American Standard Version

Context — Deuteronomy 20

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1When 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.
2And it shall be, when ye draw nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
3and shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye draw nigh this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint; fear not, nor tremble, neither be ye affrighted at them;
4for Jehovah your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
5And 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.
6And what man is there that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not used the fruit thereof? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use the fruit thereof.
← Deuteronomy 20:2Deuteronomy 20:4 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And shall say unto them, hear, O Israel, etc.] Exciting their attention to what he was about to say, and which, as Jarchi observes, was spoken in the holy tongue, or in the Hebrew language: you approach this day unto battle against your enemies; were marching or ready to march, preparing to engage with them, and a battle seemed near at hand: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; many words are made use of to animate them against those fears which the strength, number, and appearance of their enemies, would be apt to cause in them. Jarchi observes, that here are four exhortations, answerable to four things which the kings of the…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“let not: Psa 27:1-3; Isa 35:3, Isa 35:4, Isa 41:10-14; Mat 10:16, Mat 10:28, Mat 10:31; Eph 6:11-18; Th1 5:15; Heb 12:12, Heb 12:13; Rev 2:10 faint: Heb. be tender tremble: Heb. make haste, Isa 28:16 be ye terrified: Psa 3:6; Isa 8:12, Isa 8:13, Isa 57:7, Isa 57:8; Mat 8:26; Mar 16:6, Mar 16:18; Act 18:9, Act 18:10, Act 27:24; Ti1 6:12; Heb 13:6 Deuteronomy 20:4”
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Related study paths

Read Deuteronomy 20 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification