Deuteronomy 20

Deuteronomy 20:1

VVHen thou goest] Which is to be understood of a warrantable warre, which requireth a just cause, and lawfull authoritie, and great necessitie, when peace will not be entertained, vers. 12.

Deuteronomy 20:2

the Priest] The Priest, though he warred not with his hands, did animate to the battell with his tongue.

Deuteronomy 20:4

goeth with you] That is, is present to defend you with his grace and power.

Deuteronomy 20:5

not dedicated it] For when they entered first to dwell in an house they gave thankes to God, acknowledging that they had that benefit by his grace, and it may be also feasted with singing of Psalmes at their first possession of it, which was a kind of dedication of it to the use intended. See the title of the thirtieth Psalme.

Deuteronomy 20:6

planted a vineyard] Or garden, or any such like thing, which makes men unwilling to goe to warres: for as in all the services done to God, we are to bring a good will to the work; so especially in warre God requireth a most cheerefull and cordiall resolution to fight his battels.

not eaten of it] Heb. not made it common. For the law concerning a vineyard was, that for the first three yeares the fruit of it should not be eaten: the fourth yeare it was offered to God: and the fith it was common to the owners and to others. See Leviticus 19:23.

Deuteronomy 20:8

faint as well as] Cowardise is catching, especially in such as should be leaders unto others; in so much that some hold that an army of Harts led by a Lion would be more valourous and victorious then an army of Lions led by an Hart.

Deuteronomy 20:10

proclaime peace] For though nothing seeme more contrary to peace then warre; yet warre is not to be undertaken if peace may be obtained without it: and the end of war should be peace; and therefore David enquiring of Uriah concerning Joab his army, and the warre; asked him of the peace of the warre; so it is in the Originall, 2 Samuel 11:7. But this is not to be understood of the Cities of the Land of Canaan, for they were to be more severely dealt withall, vers. 16, 17. and for shewing them more favour Israel is blamed, Judg. 1. 28. but of Cities without the Land of promise, vers. 15.

Deuteronomy 20:14

women, and the little ones] The weaknesse of the sex in the one, and of age in the other, made them objects of compassion; when men, who were more able for doing, were more obnoxious to the suffering of violence; yet sometimes the slaughter was to be generall, when God did particularly prescribe it, women and children not excepted, Joshua 6:21.

Deuteronomy 20:15

Thus shalt thou doe] In sparing women and children, and taking the spoile, as vers. 14.

of these nations] Which are after mentioned, vers. 16, 17.

Deuteronomy 20:16

save alive nothing] If they refuse conditions of peace, when they are tendered unto them; this slaughter is to be understood, not of beasts, but of mankinde, Joshua 11:14.

Deuteronomy 20:17

the Hittites] See Annot. on Chap. 7. vers. 1.

Deuteronomy 20:19

is mans life] This is spoken of the fruitfull tree, which ministred food for mans sustenance; and so is called mans life by a figure called a Metonymie, whereby the cause is put for the effect.