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Sunday, July 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Douay-Rheims Bible

Deuteronomy 20:9

And when the captains of the army shall hold their peace, and have made an end of speaking, every man shall prepare their bands to fight.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Captain;   Soldiers;   Thompson Chain Reference - Captains;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Armies of Israel, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Alms;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Army;   War;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Crimes and Punishments;   Deuteronomy;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Army;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Armies;   Writing;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Army;   Deuteronomy;   End;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Anointing;   Judas Maccabeus;   Soá¹­ah;   War;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When the officers have finished addressing the army, they will appoint military commanders to lead it.
Hebrew Names Version
It shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking to the people, that they shall appoint captains of hosts at the head of the people.
King James Version
And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.
Lexham English Bible
And when the officials have finished speaking to the army troops, then they shall appoint commanders of divisions at the head of the troops.
English Standard Version
And when the officers have finished speaking to the people, then commanders shall be appointed at the head of the people.
New Century Version
When the officers finish speaking to the army, they should appoint commanders to lead it.
New English Translation
Then, when the officers have finished speaking, they must appoint unit commanders to lead the troops.
Amplified Bible
"And it shall be when the officers have finished speaking to the soldiers, they shall appoint commanders of armies over them.
New American Standard Bible
"And when the officers have finished speaking to the people, they shall appoint commanders of armies at the head of the people.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And after that the officers haue made an ende of speaking vnto the people, they shal make captaines of the armie to gouerne the people.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now it will be that when the officers have finished speaking to the people, they shall appoint commanders of armies at the head of the people.
Contemporary English Version
When the officials are finished giving these orders, they will appoint officers to be in command of the army.
Complete Jewish Bible
When the officials have finished speaking with the soldiers, commanders are to be appointed to lead the army.
Darby Translation
And it shall be, when the officers have ended speaking unto the people, that they shall place captains of the hosts at the head of the people.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then, after the officers have finished speaking to the army, they must choose captains to lead the soldiers.
George Lamsa Translation
And when the scribes have made an end of speaking to the people, the commanders of the army shall stand at the head of the people.
Good News Translation
When the officers have finished speaking to the army, leaders are to be chosen for each unit.
Literal Translation
And it shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, commanders of the armies shall be appointed at the head of the people.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan the captaynes haue made an ende of speakinge vnto the people, they shall set the rulers of the hoost before the people in the fore fronte.
American Standard Version
And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall appoint captains of hosts at the head of the people.
Bible in Basic English
Then, after saying these words to the people, let the overseers put captains over the army.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when the officers haue made an ende of speakyng vnto the people, they shall make captaynes of the armie to gouerne the people.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that captains of hosts shall be appointed at the head of the people.
King James Version (1611)
And it shall be when the Officers haue made an end of speaking vnto the people, that they shall make Captaines of the armies to leade the people.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it shall come to pass when the scribes shall have ceased speaking to the people, that they shall appoint generals of the army to be leaders of the people.
English Revised Version
And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall appoint captains of hosts at the head of the people.
Berean Standard Bible
When the officers have finished addressing the army, they are to appoint commanders to lead it.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne the duykis of the oost ben stille, and han maad ende of speking, ech `of the princis and cheuenteyns of the oost schal make redie his cumpeneyes to batel.
Young's Literal Translation
and it hath come to pass as the authorities finish to speak unto the people, that they have appointed princes of the hosts at the head of the people.
Update Bible Version
And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking to the people, that they shall appoint captains of hosts at the head of the people.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking to the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.
World English Bible
It shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking to the people, that they shall appoint captains of hosts at the head of the people.
New King James Version
And so it shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.
New Living Translation
When the officers have finished speaking to their troops, they will appoint the unit commanders.
New Life Bible
When the leaders have finished speaking to the people, they will choose heads of the army to lead the people.
New Revised Standard
When the officials have finished addressing the troops, then the commanders shall take charge of them.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, then shall they appoint captains of hosts at the head of the people.
Revised Standard Version
And when the officers have made an end of speaking to the people, then commanders shall be appointed at the head of the people.
THE MESSAGE
When the officers have finished speaking to the troops, let them appoint commanders of the troops who shall muster them by units.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"When the officers have finished speaking to the people, they shall appoint commanders of armies at the head of the people.

Contextual Overview

1 If thou go out to war against thy enemies, and see horsemen and chariots, and the numbers of the enemy’s army greater than thine, thou shalt not fear them: because the Lord thy God is with thee, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt. 2 And when the battle is now at hand, the priest shall stand before the army, and shall speak to the people in this manner: 3 Hear, O Israel, you join battle this day against your enemies, let not your heart be dismayed, be not afraid, do not give back, fear ye them not: 4 Because the Lord your God is in the midst of you, and will fight for you against your enemies, to deliver you from danger. 5 And the captains shall proclaim through every band in the hearing of the army: What man is there, that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it. 6 What man is there, that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not as yet made it to be common, whereof all men may eat? let him go, and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man execute his office. 7 What man is there, that hath espoused a wife, and not taken her? let him go, and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man take her. 8 After these things are declared they shall add the rest, and shall speak to the people: What man is there that is fearful, and faint hearted? let him go, and return to his house, lest he make the hearts of his brethren to fear, as he himself is possessed with fear. 9 And when the captains of the army shall hold their peace, and have made an end of speaking, every man shall prepare their bands to fight.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

to lead the people: Heb. to be in the head of the people, Deuteronomy 20:9

Cross-References

Genesis 12:18
And Pharao called Abram, and said to him: What is this that thou hast done to me? Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
Genesis 20:10
And again he expostulated with him, and said: What sawest thou, that thou hast done this?
Genesis 20:11
Abraham answered: I thought with myself, saying: Perhaps there is not the fear of God in this place: and they will kill me for the sake of my wife:
Genesis 20:18
For the Lord had closed up every womb of the house of Abimelech, on account of Sara, Abraham’s wife.
Genesis 26:10
And Abimelech said: Why hast thou deceived us? Some man of the people might have lain with thy wife, and thou hadst brought upon us a great sin. And he commanded all the people, saying:
Genesis 34:7
Behold his sons came from the field: and hearing what had passed, they were exceeding angry, because he had done a foul thing in Israel, and committed an unlawful act, in ravishing Jacob’s daughter.
Genesis 38:24
And behold, after three months, they told Juda, saying: Thamar, thy daughter-in-law, hath played the harlot, and she appeareth to have a big belly. And Juda said: Bring her out that she may be burnt.
Genesis 39:9
Neither is there any thing which is not in my power, or that he hath not delivered to me, but thee, who art his wife; how then can I do this wicked thing, and sin against my God?
Exodus 32:21
And he said to Aaron: What has this people done to thee, that thou shouldst bring upon them a most heinous sin?
Exodus 32:35
The Lord therefore struck the people for the guilt, on occasion of the calf which Aaron had made.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people,.... By reciting what the anointed of war said unto them, and by speeches of their own framing, to encourage to the battle; and all were dismissed that had leave to depart, and chose to take it:

that they shall make captains of armies to lead on the people; on to battle; that is, either the officers should do this, which may seem to confirm what has been hinted, that they might be generals of the army, who constituted captains under them, to lead the people on to battle: unless this is to be understood of the princes of Israel, or of the king when they had one, and his ministers; for it does not appear in any instance that the people chose their own officers over them, to go out before them, and lead them on to battle; or "to be at the head of them" z; which the Jewish writers understand in a very different sense; not to head them, or be at the head of them, to direct and command them, but to keep them from deserting: their sense is, that the officers having dismissed persons in the circumstances before described, and set stout men before them, and others behind them (i.e. the army of the people), with iron hatchets in their hands, and every one that sought to return, they had power to cut off his legs; since flight is the beginning of falling before their enemies a.

z בראש העם "in capite populi", Pagninus, Montanus. a Misn. ut supra (Sotah, c. 8.), sect. 6.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The meaning is that the “officers” should then subdivide the levies, and appoint leaders of the smaller divisions thus constituted.


 
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