Deuteronomy 20:3

Deuteronomy 20:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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;
• New International Version (NIV)He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them,
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them;

Context of Deuteronomy 20:3

1When you go to war against your enemies and see chariotry and troops who outnumber you, do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, is with you. 2As you move forward for battle, the priest will approach and say to the soldiers, “Listen, Israel! Today you are moving forward to do battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted. Do not fear and tremble or be terrified because of them, 4for the Lord your God goes with you to fight on your behalf against your enemies to give you victory.” 5Moreover, the officers are to say to the troops, “Who among you has built a new house and not dedicated it? He may go home, lest he die in battle and someone else dedicate it.

Deuteronomy 20:3 word by word

וְאָמַ֤ר אֲלֵהֶם֙ שְׁמַ֣ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַתֶּ֨ם קְרֵבִ֥ים הַיּ֛וֹם לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה עַל־אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם אַל־יֵרַ֣ךְ לְבַבְכֶ֗ם אַל־תִּֽירְא֧וּ וְאַֽל־תַּחְפְּז֛וּ וְאַל־תַּֽעַרְצ֖וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And shall sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto them, Hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• O Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• ye approachקָרֵבqârêb · approachingH7131
• this dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• unto battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• against your enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
• let not your heartsלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
• faintרָכַךְrâkak · be tenderH7401
• fearיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• not, and do not trembleחָפַזchâphaz · to hurryH2648
• neither be ye terrifiedעָרַץ‛ârats · to trembleH6206
• becauseפָּנֶהpânîym · face ofH6440

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 20:3

• Psalms 27:1The Lord delivers and vindicates me! I fear no one! The Lord protects my life! I am afraid of no one!
• Isaiah 35:3Strengthen the hands that have gone limp, steady the knees that shake!
• Isaiah 41:10Don’t be afraid, for I am with you! Don’t be frightened, for I am your God! I strengthen you – yes, I help you – yes, I uphold you with my saving right hand!
• Matthew 10:16“I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
• Ephesians 6:11Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:15See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.
• Hebrews 12:12Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees,
• Revelation 2:10Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. The devil is about to have some of you thrown into prison so you may be tested, and you will experience suffering for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself.
• Isaiah 28:16Therefore, this is what the sovereign master, the Lord, says: “Look, I am laying a stone in Zion, an approved stone, set in place as a precious cornerstone for the foundation. The one who maintains his faith will not panic.
• Psalms 3:6I am not afraid of the multitude of people who attack me from all directions.
• Isaiah 8:12“Do not say, ‘Conspiracy,’ every time these people say the word. Don’t be afraid of what scares them; don’t be terrified.
• Isaiah 57:7On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed; you go up there to offer sacrifices.
• Matthew 8:26But he said to them, “Why are you cowardly, you people of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was dead calm.
• Mark 16:6But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been raised! He is not here. Look, there is the place where they laid him.
• Acts 18:9The Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent,
• Acts 27:24and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before Caesar, and God has graciously granted you the safety of all who are sailing with you.’

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 20:3

• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-42-4. when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people--Jewish writers say that there was a war priest appointed by a special ceremonial to attend the army. It was natural that the solemn objects and motives of religion should have been applied to animate patriotism, and so give additional impulse to valor; other people have done this. But in the case of Israel, the regular attendance of a priest on the…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 20:3

• Armies
• Priest

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Faint
• Fearful
• Army
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Deuteronomy
• Exodus, the Book of

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