Deuteronomy 20:8

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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.'
• 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.’

Context of Deuteronomy 20:8

6What man has planted a vineyard but has not put it to use? Let him go back to his house—otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would begin to use it. 7What man has become engaged to a woman but has not married her? Let him go back to his house—otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would marry her.’ The officers will speak further to the troops and say, ‘What man is afraid and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house—so he does not weaken his brothers’ heart like his own.’ 9Then when the officers have finished speaking to the troops, they should appoint army commanders at the head of the troops. 10“When you go near a city to fight against it, call out shalom to it.

Deuteronomy 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? Our brothers have discouraged our hearts saying, “The people are greater and taller than we are! The cities are great and fortified up to the heavens! Besides, we have even seen the children of Anakim there!”’
• Deuteronomy 23:9The children born to them—the third generation—may enter the community of Adonai.
• Judges 7:3So now, make proclamation in the ears of the people saying, ‘Whoever is afraid or anxious may turn back and leave from Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 people turned back, while ten thousand remained.
• Luke 9:62But Yeshua said to him, “No one who has put his hand to the plow and looked back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
• Acts 15:37Barnabas was planning to take along John, called Mark.
• Revelation 3:16So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spew you out of My mouth.
• Revelation 21:8But for the cowardly and faithless and detestable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars—their lot is in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
• Numbers 13:31But the men who had gone up with him said, “We cannot attack these people, because they are stronger than we.”
• Numbers 14:1All through that night, the entire community raised up their voices. The people wept.
• Numbers 32:9They went up to the Valley of Eshcol and viewed the land, but they discouraged the hearts of Bnei-Yisrael not to enter the land which Adonai had given them.
• 1 Corinthians 15:33Do not be deceived! “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
• Exodus 15:15Then the chiefs of Edom are terrified. Trembling grips Moab’s mighty men. All of Canaan’s inhabitants will melt 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

• Armies
• Cowardice
• Soldiers

In the dictionaries

• Faint
• Fearful
• Army
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Deuteronomy
• Exodus, the Book of
• Fear
• Genesis
• Give

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