Deuteronomy 20:1–4
Facing a larger army, Israel is told: do not fear, YHWH goes with you
Study it word by word1When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots, a people more numerous than you, you shall not be afraid of them, for YHWH your Elohim is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.
2And when you draw near to the war, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people
3and say to them, “Hear, Israel: you are drawing near today to war against your enemies. Do not let your heart grow soft; do not be afraid, and do not panic, and do not be terrified before them,
4for YHWH your Elohim is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”
In its context
…
5And the supervisors shall speak to the people, saying, “Who is the man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, so that he does not die in the war and another man dedicate it.
6And who is the man who has planted a vineyard and has not begun to use it? Let him go and return to his house, so that he does not die in the war and another man begin to use it.
Its words in the original
- תֵצֵאtetse· go out, bring out
Go out, come out. In the causative form, "make go out", "bring out", "lead out", "produce".
- מִּלְחָמָהmilchama· war, battle
War, battle.
- אֹיְבֶיoyve· enemy
Enemy, foe: one who hates and opposes another.
- רָאִיתָraita· see
See. Also look, observe, notice, consider; in some forms, "appear" or "show".
- סוּסsus· horse
Horse.
- רֶכֶבrechev· chariots
War chariots (as a whole); also the upper millstone.
- עַםam· people
People: a human group joined by kinship, history and destiny. "My people", said by God, is Israel. Also the people as a crowd, or troops.
- רַבrav· many, great
Many, much, abundant, great; also "elder" or "chief".
- תִירָאtira· fear
Fear. It can be fright before a danger or deep reverence before God ("fear YHWH"). In some forms, be fearsome, awesome.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- אֱלֹהֶיelohe· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- מַּעַלְmaal· go up, offer up
Go up, ascend, climb. It is also used for "offering" a sacrifice (making it go up), and for coming up from Egypt.
- אֶרֶץerets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- מִצְרָיִםmitsrayim· Egypt, Mizraim
Mizraim, the Hebrew name of Egypt; also the Egyptians. As a person, a son of Ham, ancestor of the Egyptians.
- הָיָהhaya· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- קָרָבְkarav· come near, bring near
Come near, approach. In the causative form, bring near, present an offering.
- נִגַּשׁnigash· come near, bring near
Come near, approach; in the causative form, bring near, present. Also come near to attack, or to worship.
- כֹּהֵןkohen· priest
Priest: one who serves God on behalf of the people and presents the offerings.
- דִבֶּרdiber· speak
Speak, talk, say; also promise or command.
- אָמַרamar· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- שְׁמַעshema· hear, listen, obey
Hear, listen. In the Bible listening truly includes paying heed; so it often means "obey". In the causative form, make heard, proclaim.
- יִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael· Israel
Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.
- קְרֵבִיםkerevim· near, approaching
One who comes near; near.
- יּוֹםyom· day
Day: the hours of light, or a whole day from one evening to the next. Also an indefinite time or age ("in the day that...", "in those days").
- יֵרַךְyerach· be soft, be faint
Be soft: lose courage, the heart becoming weak; also to soften.
- לְבַבְlevav· heart
Heart: the inner part of the person, where one thinks, feels and decides.
- תַּחְפְּזוּtachpzu· hurry away in alarm
Hurry away in alarm: rush off from fright.
- תַּעַרְצוּtaartsu· be terrified, dread
Be in dread or terror; also to strike with terror.
- פְּנֵיpene· face, presence
Face. From there "surface" (the face of something) and "presence" (being before someone's face); with a preposition it means "before" or "in front of".
- הֹלֵךְholech· go, walk
Go, walk, come. Figuratively, the way one lives ("walk with God").
- הִלָּחֵםhilachem· fight; eat
Fight, wage war. In a few passages, another verb with the same letters: eat (Proverbs 23:1).
- הוֹשִׁיעַhoshia· save
Save: deliver someone from danger or from an oppressor. From this root come the names Joshua and Jesus.