Deuteronomy 20:16 Kommentar

This chapter settles the militia, and establishes the laws and ordinances of war, I. Relating to the soldiers. 1. Those must be encouraged that were drawn up to battle (Deu 20:1-4). 2. Those must be dismissed and sent back again whose private affairs called for their attendance at home (Deu 20:5-7), or whose weakness and timidity unfitted them for service in the field (Deu 20:8, Deu 20:9). II. Relating to the enemies they made war with. 1. The treaties they must make with the cities that were far off (Deu 20:10-15). 2. The destruction they must make of the people into whose land they were going (Deu 20:16-18). 3. The care they must take, in besieging cities, not to destroy the fruit-trees (Deu 20:19, Deu 20:20).

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 20 In this chapter rules are given to be observed in times of war. When a battle was near, a priest was to address the soldiers, and encourage them to fight, Deu 20:1, then the officers were to declare who might return home, Deu 20:5 when an enemy's city was approached, peace was to be proclaimed on certain conditions, which, if accepted of, the inhabitants were to be tributaries and servants, but if not, when taken, all were to be put to the sword, excepting women, children, and cattle, Deu 20:10, but those of the seven nations were to be utterly destroyed, Deu 20:16, and, during a siege, no trees bearing fruit fit for food were to be cut down, Deu 20:19.

But of the cities of those people, which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance,.... The cities of the seven nations, six of which are mentioned by name in the next verse: thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth; the reason of this severity was because of their wickedness, the capital crimes and gross abominations they were guilty of, and for which they deserved to die; and on account whereof they were reserved to this destruction, when the measure of their iniquities was full, such as idolatry, incest, witchcraft, soothsaying, necromancy, &c. see Lev 18:3.

THE PRIESTS' EXHORTATION TO ENCOURAGE THE PEOPLE TO BATTLE. (Deu. 20:1-20) 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.

Instructions for Future Wars - Deuteronomy 20 The instructions in this chapter have reference to the wars which Israel might wage in future against non-Canaanitish nations (Deu 20:15.), and enjoin it as a duty upon the people of God to spare as much as possible the lives of their own soldiers and also of their enemies. All wars against their enemies, even though they were superior to them in resources, were to be entered upon by them without fear in reliance upon the might of their God; and they were therefore to exempt from military service not only those who had just entered into new social relations, and had not enjoyed the pleasures of them, but also the timid and fainthearted (Deu 20:1-9). Moreover, whenever they besieged hostile towns, they were to offer peace to their enemies, excepting only the Canaanites; and even if it were not accepted, they were to let the defenceless (viz., women and children) live, and not to destroy the fruit-trees before the fortifications (Deu 20:10-20).