Deuteronomy 20:8

Authorized King James Version

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And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart.

Original Language Analysis

וְיָֽסְפ֣וּ further H3254
וְיָֽסְפ֣וּ further
Strong's: H3254
Word #: 1 of 20
to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing)
הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים֮ And the officers H7860
הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים֮ And the officers
Strong's: H7860
Word #: 2 of 20
properly, a scribe, i.e., (by analogy or implication) an official superintendent or magistrate
לְדַבֵּ֣ר shall speak H1696
לְדַבֵּ֣ר shall speak
Strong's: H1696
Word #: 3 of 20
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
אֶל H413
אֶל
Strong's: H413
Word #: 4 of 20
near, with or among; often in general, to
הָעָם֒ unto the people H5971
הָעָם֒ unto the people
Strong's: H5971
Word #: 5 of 20
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
וְאָֽמְר֗וּ and they shall say H559
וְאָֽמְר֗וּ and they shall say
Strong's: H559
Word #: 6 of 20
to say (used with great latitude)
מִֽי H4310
מִֽי
Strong's: H4310
Word #: 7 of 20
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
הָאִ֤ישׁ What man H376
הָאִ֤ישׁ What man
Strong's: H376
Word #: 8 of 20
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
הַיָּרֵא֙ is there that is fearful H3373
הַיָּרֵא֙ is there that is fearful
Strong's: H3373
Word #: 9 of 20
fearing; morally, reverent
וְרַ֣ךְ and fainthearted H7390
וְרַ֣ךְ and fainthearted
Strong's: H7390
Word #: 10 of 20
tender (literally or figuratively); by implication, weak
כִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃ as well as his heart H3824
כִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃ as well as his heart
Strong's: H3824
Word #: 11 of 20
the heart (as the most interior organ)
יֵלֵ֖ךְ H1980
יֵלֵ֖ךְ
Strong's: H1980
Word #: 12 of 20
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
וְיָשֹׁ֣ב and return H7725
וְיָשֹׁ֣ב and return
Strong's: H7725
Word #: 13 of 20
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);
לְבֵית֑וֹ unto his house H1004
לְבֵית֑וֹ unto his house
Strong's: H1004
Word #: 14 of 20
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
וְלֹ֥א H3808
וְלֹ֥א
Strong's: H3808
Word #: 15 of 20
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
יִמַּ֛ס faint H4549
יִמַּ֛ס faint
Strong's: H4549
Word #: 16 of 20
to liquefy; figuratively, to waste (with disease), to faint (with fatigue, fear or grief)
אֶת H853
אֶת
Strong's: H853
Word #: 17 of 20
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
כִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃ as well as his heart H3824
כִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃ as well as his heart
Strong's: H3824
Word #: 18 of 20
the heart (as the most interior organ)
אֶחָ֖יו lest his brethren's H251
אֶחָ֖יו lest his brethren's
Strong's: H251
Word #: 19 of 20
a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance [like h0001])
כִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃ as well as his heart H3824
כִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃ as well as his heart
Strong's: H3824
Word #: 20 of 20
the heart (as the most interior organ)

Analysis & Commentary

Fearful warriors dismissed: 'And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart.' Fear is contagious—one fearful soldier demoralizes others. The Hebrew yare verak levav (יָרֵא וְרַךְ לֵבָב, 'fearful and soft-hearted') describes paralyzing dread. Such men must leave 'lest his brethren's heart faint'—fear spreads. Gideon's army illustrates this: 32,000 reduced to 10,000 after fearful dismissed (Judges 7:3). Quality matters more than quantity; faithful few triumph over fearful many. This applies spiritually—halfhearted, doubting believers hinder corporate faith more than help it.

Historical Context

This law seems counterintuitive—shrinking armies during war. But morale mattered more than numbers. Fearful soldiers flee during battle, causing rout. Better to fight with confident few than panic-prone many. Gideon's 300 proved this—God further reduced 10,000 to 300, ensuring victory credited to Him alone (Judges 7:2-7). Jesus similarly said 'count the cost' before discipleship (Luke 14:28-33)—halfhearted commitment is worse than honest rejection. Better fewer committed disciples than crowds of uncommitted followers. Church growth focused on numbers over depth repeats this error.

Questions for Reflection

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