English Standard Version
Deuteronomy 20:8
8And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, 'Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own.'
Deuteronomy 20:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)“The officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.’
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Then the officers will also say, ‘Is anyone here afraid or worried? If you are, you may go home before you frighten anyone else.’
Context of Deuteronomy 20:8
6And is there any man who has planted a vineyard and has not enjoyed its fruit? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man enjoy its fruit. 7And is there any man who has betrothed a wife and has not taken her? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take her.' And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, 'Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own.' 9And when the officers have finished speaking to the people, then commanders shall be appointed at the head of the people. 10"When you draw near to a city to fight against it, offer terms of peace to it.
Read all of Deuteronomy 20Deuteronomy 20:8 word by word
וְיָסְפ֣וּ הַשֹּׁטְרִים֮ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־הָעָם֒ וְאָמְר֗וּ מִי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הַיָּרֵא֙ וְרַ֣ךְ הַלֵּבָ֔ב יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א יִמַּ֛ס אֶת־לְבַ֥ב אֶחָ֖יו כִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the officersשֹׁטֵרshôţêr · officialH7860
- shall speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- furtherיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254
- unto the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- and they shall sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- What manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- fearfulיָרֵאyârê' · afraidH3373
- and faintheartedלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
- and faintheartedרַךְrak · tenderH7390
- let him goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- and returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- unto his houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- lest his brethren’sאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
- faintמָסַסmâsas · to meltH4549
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 20:8
- Deuteronomy 1:28Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, "The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to heaven. And besides, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there."'
- Deuteronomy 23:9"When you are encamped against your enemies, then you shall keep yourself from every evil thing.
- Judges 7:3Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, 'Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.'" Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.
- Luke 9:62Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
- Acts 15:37Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark.
- Revelation 3:16So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
- Revelation 21:8But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."
- Numbers 13:31Then the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are."
- Numbers 14:1Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night.
- Numbers 32:9For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the people of Israel from going into the land that the Lord had given them.
- 1 Corinthians 15:33Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."
- Exodus 15:15Now are the chiefs of Edom dismayed; trembling seizes the leaders of Moab; all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 20:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8What man is there that is fearful and faint - hearted? - The original רך rach, signifies tender or soft-hearted. And a soft heart the man must have who, in such a contest, after such a permission, could turn his back upon his enemies and his brethren. However, such were the troops commanded by Gideon in his war against the Midianites; for after he gave this permission, out of 32,000 men only 10,000 remained to fight! Judges 7:3. There could be no…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-85-8. And the officers shall speak unto the people--literally, Shoterim, who are called "scribes" or "overseers" (Ex 5:6). They might be keepers of the muster-roll, or perhaps rather military heralds, whose duty it was to announce the orders of the generals (2Ch 26:11). This proclamation (De 20:5-8) must have been made previous to the priest's address, as great disorder and inconvenience must have been occasioned if the serried ranks were broken by the…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 20:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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