If you knew the precise day when an enemy was going to attack, and you had advance notification, would you wait until the day before the attack to begin preparations? YHWH has given us such notice through the appointed time of Yom T’ruah (a.k.a. Rosh haShanah), 9 days before Yom Kippur. On Yom T’ruah the alarm is sounded (Lev. 23:24ff) in much the same way as Israel is called to war (Num. 10:9ff), and YHWH is “reminded” of His promise to save us from our enemies. It is all about remembering, and we do well to remember where we have done well and where we need improvement. We even have an additional month just before that when “the king is in the field” and we can therefore train with Him. So we have no excuse to not be ready. It is a time to make war on our faults, shortcomings, places where we are slack, lazy, complacent, or apathetic. Use this time to tend to these; do not put it off until later!
D'varim/Deuteronomy
CHAPTER 20
1. "When you go out into battle against your enemy, and you see [the] horses and chariots [of a] nation larger than yourself, do not be afraid of them, because YHWH your Elohim, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.
When: literally, because. This assumes that Israel will have battles to fight, whether they be physical people occupying our Land or just the enemies that well up from within: laziness, selfishness, ignorance, or apathy, which keep us from the Land. We must never just accept these things and surrender to them. Time is short; we have the first open door to repent and go home for nearly 2,000 years, and we could “blow it” just as easily this time. Those who did not gather in Goshen did not get to leave Egypt; some remained attached to Egypt and received the full force of the plagues. This first phrase also assumes Israel will be on the offensive rather than the defensive. More than any other title, YHWH calls Himself “YHWH Tzv’aoth”—commander of armies”. We must posture for a greater offensive and conquer the things that stand in our way. Do not wait for enemies to become a problem; pre-empt their attack and beat them down by filling our lives with study of Torah and with loving our neighbors as ourselves—and as the Renewed Covenant take the standard a step higher, considering our neighbors even more important than ourselves. We know what to fight against by what season it is. Qoheleth (Eccles.) 3:8 says there is a time for war. We pray that our times of peace will far outnumber it, but must be ready for botgh. When is the time for war? For our ancestor Avram, it was when his kinsman was taken captive by enemies. (Gen. 14) Our brothers have been taken captive by the church, by rabbinical tradition that does not align with Torah, by the Babylonian system, by the god of Security, and/or by selfishness. Avram could not go against them alone; he took 318 trained men. They could not set anyone free if they had not been properly trained, and if they were not working together. What hinders us is supposed to nourish us. The Hebrew word for battle is from the same root as the word for bread, which is a symbol of community. (1 Cor. 10:16-17) When we battle against self, this feeds community. There is no option of losing given here; the battle is in front of us, and if we go through it we will be fed and come out stronger, at least in the area we are fighting for victory. We should expect our enemies to appear greater and better armed than we, but this is only a set-up to show that YHWH’s arm is still stronger. Why should we not trust the One who has proven Himself so many times? One way to tell if we are on the right side is if we are clearly in the minority. (Mat. 7:14) Acknowledge that they are bigger than you as an individual, but we have a secret weapon: YHWH is with us! No matter whether it feels like He is or not, if He says He is, He is. If we see ourselves as grasshoppers in comparison to the enemy, remember that grasshoppers can devour its crops and leave it greatly weakened. No individual in his right mind would go to war against an entire army; he would simply be slaughtered. But if one of us is at war, all of us are. The very psalm (118) that tells us “it is better to trust in Him than to put confidence in men” also says “YHWH is for us through those who help us”. He works through His people. M-16s and bombs are not how we will win this war, and not even by tornadoes or pillars of fire. We win by trusting His people to be there for us, and by being there for one another, proving trustworthy. If we have an army that He has put together, it does not matter how large it is; take care of one another, and we will see miraculous victories. Warriors come in all shapes and sizes; you may be surprised at whom you need help from in order to win. “Prayer warriors” are a valuable part of the team, but we also need teachers, and those who provide wise counsel are like another battalion backing us up. If our children are sharp arrows (Psalm 127:4-5), those who sharpen them are our allies. Not all soldiers are on the front line; we also need people to prepare bandages for the wounded or, nowadays, computer support. An army runs on its belly, so this is another way to contribute. Anyone who provides us with comfort is on our side. Everyone who helps to defeat what prevents us from going Home is needed, so do your part, whatever it is, and do not be too proud to ask for help in areas you are being defeated. When we learn to operate as a team and are willing to die for one another, we know we can trust those who are in the “foxhole” with us. When we know others are going to battle with us, we will only choose those battles that are truly worth fighting. We will be hesitant to start profitless battles if we know it is going to involve our companions as well; this alone would deliver us from some of our enemies. As he so often does, Moshe again, in this context, reminds us that YHWH delivered us from Egypt, the most powerful army on earth. Remembering the obstacles that you have already overcome because of YHWH is such a powerful weapon. Look at where you are standing now. Look at what He has done that others said could not be done. He has granted you passage through things that were too big for you, because He is bigger still.
2. "But what you should do when you are getting close to battle is that the priest should approach and speak to the people,
This is a war priest, one of Aharon’s descendants. Though not the high priest, as a descendant of Pin’has as well, he has an eternal covenant, and thus speaks to us “from eternity”. He is a reminder that despite this battle, the covenant between YHWH and Israel will continue. What he says represents YHWH’s heart toward Israel as it goes to battle:
3. "telling them, ‘Listen, Israel! Today you are drawing near to engage in battle against your enemies. Do not let your hearts be timid! Do not be afraid! Do not run away or tremble in terror due to their presence,
Be timid: soft or weak. A heart is meant to be not hard, but firm. There are times for our hearts to be soft—especially toward YHWH Himself—but a soft heart out of season is also an enemy. YHWH will strengthen our heart if we have courage. (Psalm 27:14; 31:24) We are not to follow our hearts, but take control of them and tell them how to feel! Fear leads to hesitancy, and if we hesitate we have already lost. The first step in our training is to learn not to be afraid. The first thing to make war on is our fears. Root them out first so that by the time the trumpet sounds, we can be fully engaged in the battle and hit the enemy head-on. YHWH knows that building trust requires experience, so if we have hardly ever been to war, He stays out in front at first, but then lets us venture out from beneath His skirts, then eventually is just there for back-up. Not being fearful also depends on having a community there to support us, because this command is to the whole of Israel. Fear denies what YHWH has done and proves we do not believe He is who He says He is. Not trusting Him violates the covenant. Cowards (those who will not stand for what is really worth fighting for) and the unbelieving are at the top of the list of those who will receive the second death, even before the unbelieving, murderers, sorcerors, etc. (Rev. 21:8) This is the Torah’s view of those who run from the battle. Lack of fear is connected with possessing the Land. (Deut. 1:21) Fearing the people who await us where YHWH is taking us is actually rebellion against Him. (Num. 14:9) Their protection has departed, and the King is in the field—on the battlefield—with us. He wants us to do really well; just call on Him and start fighting, and He will be there for us. Our inward enemies are weaker at the season of repentance than any other time of year, so take advantage of that and deal wit the things in yourself that keep you from being useful to the rest of Israel. In 31:6 He reiterates that He will not fail or forsake us, so “Do not fear or be afraid”. Is there a difference? The first correlates with the first two items in the list here: they are our inward experiences—the “oh, no!” and the sinking heart. The second correlates with the last two here, which are outward demonstrations of fearfulness, which are more destructive, because they also influence our fellows, so if we cannot keep from the inward fears, we must at least keep them in check so that we do not discourage our brothers. Defeating fear is the biggest step in the battle—getting to the point of saying, “Come what may, here I go, whatever the consequences!” Then teach the rest of Israel to walk in the same courage. How important is this? Genesis 36:24 links “Do not fear” with YHWH’s being the Elohim of Avraham. In other words, this is an integral part of the covenant. He even uses it as a test. (See Ex. 20:20.) If we fear anything other than YHWH, we will fail. Their presence: or faces. A coward says one thing behind people’s backs and another to their face. If we are decent people all of the time, there will be no difference between what we say about our enemies when they are absent or when present. If we put checks on what is in our minds, there will be no cause for fear when we do meet them face to face. It may not seem so at first, but once we step into the ring, they will not seem as intimidating. Refusing to look at the areas that need to be defeated will keep us from even trying, and thus guarantee our defeat. Do not try to have empathy for them; they are our enemies! Take control of your heart, because it goes deeper than your emotions to the endurance that goes tooth and nail to be sure that we will win. Whatever makes war on us has been put under our jurisdiction, so be confident and go all out.
4. "because YHWH your Elohim is the one who is going with you to fight with your enemies for you, and to bring you deliverance!'
No matter how intimidating things appear, He is still YHWH and the bigger the enemy, the bigger He gets. It is really all about Him, after all. He will come through for you if you are attached to this nation and making war on the things that keep us from coming closer to Him. This is what He wants, because He wrote this! Remember the covenant, and there is no reason to be in dread.
5. "The officials shall also say to the people, ‘Which [of you] is the man who has built a new house, but has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man dedicate it.
Lest he die: Yet v. 3 seems to promise that this will not take place. If one thinks that he will probably die in battle, he is already defeated. YHWH’s presence with us cannot be assumed if our heart and our motives lie elsewhere and if we do not trust Him. (Yaaqov/James 1:7) Let him (singular) go: It is as if the officers are speaking to the rest of the army, because while Israel is going to battle, this man is more concerned with his own house. He is more interested with what is his individually than in being part of the “team”. They would not want such a man in the foxhole with them anyway.
6. "‘And which [of you] is the man who has planted a vineyard and not [yet] begun [to eat of it]? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man tame it.
7. "‘And which [of you] is the man who has betrothed a woman, but not [yet] taken her [in marriage]? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man take her.'
If it is your time to die, staying off the battlefield will not leave you any safer. Your new house might cave in on you, or you may trip over your vine and break your neck! He promises to be with the army; who knows what may be lurking in your vineyard? They would not be real considerations—expecting someone else to get our wife or vineyard—if YHWH has promised to give us victory. The gratification is only delayed, and that is when it is usually appreciated even more. After all, why would having someone else enjoy your cattle even come close to comparing with the privilege of advancing the Kingdom? And if your concern is that enemies will be the ones using your possessions, the smartest way to prevent that is to meet them on the battlefield with the army anyway. What each of these men has in common is that he has unfinished business at home. Their heart is preoccupied with personal matters, and therefore they will not be able to concentrate on the battle. Do not imagine, either, that this is an “honorable discharge”, even if each of the “outs” is slightly less dishonorable than the one preceding it. It is not that YHWH is so much permitting these people to leave, as He is shaming them, for the only people counted in Israel are the soldiers. (Num. 1:3) He is not concerned for numbers, but that those who are in the trenches beside their fellows are trustworthy and single-minded.
8. "And further still, the officers shall say to the people, ‘Which [of you] is the man who is afraid and timid of heart? Let him go and return to his house, so the heart of his brothers will not melt like his heart.'
Officers: the term means “those who keep a written record”, so no one will forget which ones went to war and which ones went home; the record will be available to all. Some will not be in the Book of Life, but the Book of Cowards.
9. "Then what must take place when the officers have finished speaking to the people is that they must appoint captains over the organized armies at the forefront of the nation.
Note that there can be no leaders and no battle plan formed until after the fainthearted are taken away. No one knows in advance who will lead, because this will be determined by the conditions and the specific tactics that are needed and who is best at each.
10. "When you approach a city to engage it in battle, then call out [an offer of] peace to it.
We do not want to kill anyone unnecessarily.
11. "And if ‘peace' is how it answers you, and it opens [its gates] to you, then all the people who are found in it will be your tributaries, and they will serve you.
They have two choices: to stand in Israel’s way and be killed, or be spared and become servants of Israel. They become compulsory laborers for the Israelites who move into their cities. Israel cuts no deals; we cannot, for if someone else is setting any of the rules, we will not be free to obey YHWH in everything. We offer them shalom by allowing them to walk the path of servanthood that we walk; nothing else is acceptable.
12. "But if it will not conclude [a peace] with you, but makes war on you, then treat it as an enemy.
If any of our habits or inclinations cannot be diverted into usefulness for the Kingdom, we must get that out of our life.
13. "And when YHWH your Elohim has delivered it into your hand, you must strike down every one of its males with the ‘mouth' of the sword.
14. "Only the women, the toddlers, the animals, and whatever [else] may be in the city--any of its spoils--may you seize for yourself. Then you shall eat the plunder of your enemies, which YHWH your Elohim has turned over to you.
15. "This is how you shall act in regard to any of the cities which are very distant from you--which are not among the cities of these nations [here].
The offer of peace only applies to those outside the Land. But within the area that is our jurisdiction, the highest standard must be maintained:
16. "Only from the cities of these peoples, which YHWH your Elohim is giving you as an inheritance, shall you not leave alive anything that breathes,
Here, there are no offers of peace; we simply attack. These people cannot even be our slaves. Destroying whatever occupies our inheritance is the only route to what will benefit all of mankind. We will be grateful if we do not have to do this literally in our generation.
17. "because these--the Chittite, the Emorite, the Kanaanite, the Prizzite, the Chiwite, and the Y'vusite--you shall devote to destruction, just as YHWH your Elohim has commanded you,
Devote to destruction: to set apart, but for a different reason than to make something “holy”; this word is the one from which “harem” is derived, so this makes it clear that it means “off limits”. You do not receive any of these as plunder. We must first set them apart mentally by seeing them as something to be destroyed. Do not put a human face on them. This is an ancient method still used to this day when even vibrant, intelligent cultures are in wartime given pejorative names so that soldiers can feel less traumatized when they must kill them. They have fewer psychological problems after they return home. So since this tool is in our arsenal, we may use it when the time is right. After the war is over, we need to drop it. We are often too fond of the things that stand in the way of the unification of Israel, and like this we must see them as essentially dead already.
18. "the intent being that they will not teach you to imitate the disgusting practices which they have been performing for their mighty ones, and thus sin toward YHWH your Elohim.
History shows that the method described above works no matter what the context, but this is the context YHWH intended this attitude for. He does not want us to learn to be like them. The heart of the matter is that if we leave them here, they will turn our children into pagans.
19. "When you lay siege to a city for many days, to wage war against it in order to capture it, do not waste its tree[s] by wielding an axe against them, because you may eat of them, so do not cut it down. For is a tree of the field a human being, to go from before you into the siege-mound?
20. "Only a tree which you are certain is not a tree from which to eat--that one you may use up or cut down and build a siege-mound against the city that is making war with you, until you bring it down.
This is actually very much on the same topic, because while those who will not benefit Israel do not belong in YHWH’s Land, we should leave what does belong there. We may need it. “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater!” This is an interesting priority of YHWH’s—one that gardeners can relate to, and environmentalists as well. We might tend to write off the “world” system in our religious zeal, when in fact we need many parts of it, though we are not to be its friend. While some people worship the Earth, it is, after all, our home, so we do need to care for it. Think of the next generation and what kind of conditions our dealings will leave for them.
Commentary on
Parashat Shoftim
The King is in the (Battle) Field
