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Wednesday, June 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 6 / Ordinary 11
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Deuteronomy 20:2

"When you go to the battle, the priest must go to the soldiers and speak to them.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Priest;   Thompson Chain Reference - War;   War-Peace;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Priests;   Protection;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Priest;   War;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - War, Holy War;   Worship;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Alms;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Crimes and Punishments;   Deuteronomy;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - War;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Armies;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Army;   Deuteronomy;   War;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Anointing;   Commandments, the 613;   Judas Maccabeus;   Phinehas;   Soṭah;   War;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When you are about to engage in battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army.
Hebrew Names Version
It shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the Kohen shall approach and speak to the people,
King James Version
And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
Lexham English Bible
And then when you approach the battle, then the priest shall come near and speak to the troops.
English Standard Version
And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people
New Century Version
The priest must come and speak to the army before you go into battle.
New English Translation
As you move forward for battle, the priest will approach and say to the soldiers,
Amplified Bible
"When you approach the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people,
New American Standard Bible
"When you are approaching the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when ye are come nere vnto the battel, then the Priest shal come forth to speake vnto the people,
Legacy Standard Bible
Now it will be, when you are drawing near to the battle, the priest shall approach and speak to the people.
Contemporary English Version
Before you march into battle, a priest will go to the front of the army
Complete Jewish Bible
When you are about to go into battle, the cohen is to come forward and address the people.
Darby Translation
And it shall be, when ye approach unto the battle, that the priest shall draw near and speak unto the people,
George Lamsa Translation
And when you come near to the battle, the priest shall approach and speak to the people,
Good News Translation
Before you start fighting, a priest is to come forward and say to the army,
Literal Translation
And it shall be, when you draw near to battle, the priest shall come and speak to the people,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Now wha ye are come nye vnto the battayll, the prest shal steppe forth, & speake to the people,
American Standard Version
And it shall be, when ye draw nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
Bible in Basic English
And when you are on the point of attacking, let the priest come forward and say to the people,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when ye are come nye vnto battayle, ye priest shall come foorth to speake vnto the people,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it shall be, when ye draw nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
King James Version (1611)
And it shall bee when ye are come nigh vnto the battell, that the Priest shall approach and speake vnto the people,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it shall come to pass whenever thou shalt draw nigh to battle, that the priest shall draw nigh and speak to the people, and shall say to them,
English Revised Version
And it shall be, when ye draw nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
Berean Standard Bible
When you are about to go into battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Sotheli whanne the batel neiyeth now, the preest schal stonde bifor the scheltrun, and thus he schal speke to the puple,
Young's Literal Translation
and it hath been, in your drawing near unto the battle, that the priest hath come nigh, and spoken unto the people,
Update Bible Version
And it shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people,
Webster's Bible Translation
And it shall be when ye are come nigh to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people,
World English Bible
It shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people,
New King James Version
So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people.
New Living Translation
When you prepare for battle, the priest must come forward to speak to the troops.
New Life Bible
When you are coming near the battle, the religious leader will come near and speak to the people.
New Revised Standard
Before you engage in battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the troops,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it shall be, when ye are coming nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when the battle is now at hand, the priest shall stand before the army, and shall speak to the people in this manner:
Revised Standard Version
And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"When you are approaching the battle, the priest shall come near and speak to the people.

Contextual Overview

1 "When you go out to battle against your enemies, and you see horses, chariots, and many more people than you have, you must not be afraid of them. The Lord your God is with you—and he brought you out of Egypt. 2 "When you go to the battle, the priest must go to the soldiers and speak to them. 3 The priest will say, ‘Men of Israel, listen to me! Today you are going against your enemies in battle. Don't lose your courage. Don't be troubled or upset. Don't be afraid of the enemy. 4 The Lord your God is going with you to help you fight against your enemies. He will help you win!' 5 "The Levite officials will say to the soldiers, ‘Is there any man here who has built a new house but has not yet dedicated it? That man should go back home. He might be killed in the battle, and then another person will dedicate that man's house. 6 Is there any man here who has planted a vineyard but has not yet gathered any of the grapes? That man should go back home. If that man dies in the battle, someone else will enjoy the fruit from his field. 7 Is there any man here who is engaged to be married? That man should go back home. If he dies in the battle, another man will marry the woman he is engaged to.' 8 "These Levite officials must also say to the people, ‘Is there any man here who has lost his courage and is afraid? He should go back home. Then he will not cause the other soldiers to lose their courage too.' 9 Then, after the officers have finished speaking to the army, they must choose captains to lead the soldiers.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Numbers 10:8, Numbers 10:9, Numbers 31:6, Judges 20:27, Judges 20:28, 1 Samuel 14:18, 1 Samuel 30:7, 1 Samuel 30:8, 2 Chronicles 13:12

Reciprocal: Joshua 6:6 - Take up the ark

Cross-References

Genesis 12:15
Even some of Pharaoh's officials noticed her and told Pharaoh how beautiful she was. So they took her to Pharaoh's house.
Genesis 20:11
Then Abraham said, "I thought no one in this place respected God. I thought someone would kill me to get Sarah.
Genesis 20:12
She is my wife, but she is also my sister. She is the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother.
Genesis 20:13
God led me away from my father's house. He led me to wander to many different places. When that happened, I told Sarah, ‘Do something for me. Wherever we go, tell people you are my sister.'"
Genesis 26:1
Now there was a famine. This was like the famine that happened during Abraham's life. So Isaac went to the town of Gerar, to King Abimelech of the Philistines.
Genesis 26:7
His wife Rebekah was very beautiful. The men of that place asked Isaac about Rebekah. He said, "She is my sister." He was afraid to tell them Rebekah was his wife. He was afraid the men would kill him so that they could have her.
Genesis 26:16
Abimelech said to Isaac, "Leave our country. You have become much more powerful than we are."
2 Chronicles 19:2
The prophet Jehu, son of Hanani, went out to meet the king. Jehu said to him, "Why did you help those who are wicked? Why do you love those who hate the Lord ? That's the reason the Lord is angry with you now.
2 Chronicles 20:37
There was a man from the town of Mareshah named Eliezer son of Dodavahu. He spoke against Jehoshaphat and said, "Jehoshaphat, since you have joined with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have built." The ships were wrecked, so Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah were not able to send them to Tarshish.
2 Chronicles 32:31
One time the leaders of Babylon sent messengers to Hezekiah. The messengers asked about a strange sign that had happened in the nations. When they came, God left Hezekiah alone to test him and to know everything that was in Hezekiah's heart.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ver. 2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle,.... When all things are preparing for it, and it seems unavoidable:

that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people; not any priest, but one appointed for this service; who is called

the anointed of war, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra observe, and concerning whom Maimonides d is more particular; he says,

"they appoint a priest to speak to the people at the time of war, and they anoint him with the anointing oil, and he is called the anointed of war; twice the anointed of war speaks unto the people, once in a book at the time they go forth, before they set in battle array, he says to the people, "what man is there", c. and when he has caused his words to be heard, he returns at another time, when they are set in array, he says, "fear not", c.''

this man seems to be an emblem of Gospel ministers, who are anointed with the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God, and whose business it is to encourage the people of God to fight the Lord's battles against sin, Satan, and the world, and not to be afraid of their spiritual enemies directing them to take to them the whole armour of God, and to endure hardness as good soldiers of Christ, to follow him the captain of their salvation, assuring them of victory through him who makes them more than conquerors, and that their warfare is or shortly will be accomplished.

d Hilchot Melachim, c. 7. sect. 1, 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The priest - Not the high priest, but one appointed for the purpose, and called, according to the rabbis, “the anointed of the war”: hence, perhaps the expression of Jeremiah 6:4, etc. “prepare ye” (literally consecrate) “war.” Thus, Phinehas went with the warriors to fight against Midian (Numbers 31:6; compare 1Sa 4:4, 1 Samuel 4:11; 2 Chronicles 13:12).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 20:2. The priest shall approach, and speak unto the people — The priest on these occasions was the representative of that God whose servant he was, and whose worship he conducted. It is remarkable that almost all ancient nations took their priests with them to battle, as they did not expect success without having the object of their adoration with them, and they supposed they secured his presence by having that of his representative.


 
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