John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. And the officers shall speak unto the people , etc.] What these officers were is not easy to say; they seem not to be officers of the army, for they are distinguished from captains of the armies, ( Deuteronomy 20:9), unless they can be thought to be general officers; but the word for them is the same that is used of such that attended the judges and were ministers to them, ( Deuteronomy 16:18), and perhaps they were a sort of heralds that published and proclaimed what the anointed of war had said; and so the above writer affirms, that what here follows was first spoken by him, and after that (what is said, ( Deuteronomy 20:3,4)) the anointed of war speaks, saying, what man is there , etc.] (to the end of ( Deuteronomy 20:7)) thus far the anointed of war speaks, and then an officer causes all the people to hear it with an high voice, saying, what man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it ? or perfected it, as the Targum of Jonathan, not quite finished it, has not, as that paraphrast says, fixed in it the door posts, or rather perhaps he means the Mezuzah, or writing, which the Jews thought themselves obliged to fasten to the door posts of their houses; (see Deuteronomy 11:20) until this was done, an house was not thought to be completed; though Jarchi interprets this of inhabitation; of a man’s having built a house, but has not yet dwelt in it; (see Deuteronomy 28:30), so Josephus explains it, of its not having been used and enjoyed by a man a full year; but there seems to be something more than all this in dedication; for though it does not signify a consecration or dedication of it to holy uses, as the dedication of the tabernacle and temple, yet there was something done, some ceremony used at entrance into a new house; a good man entered into it, no doubt, with prayer and praise, as the thirtieth psalm was composed by David at the dedication of his house; (see Nehemiah 12:27) and perhaps it was usual to have their friends together, and make a cheerful entertainment on the occasion. Ben Melech on the place, assures us it was a custom to make a feast and merriment at eating the first meal in a new house: let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it ; or perfect it, as the above Targum, or dwell in it, as well as have the pleasure of entertaining his friends in it at the first opening of it; this was either a command, enjoining a man, in such a circumstance, to return, and so the rest that follow, or a permission to him, allowing him to do it if he thought fit.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - In the wars wherein Israel engaged according to the will of God, the might expect the Divine assistance. The Lord was to be their onl confidence. In these respects they were types of the Christian' warfare. Those unwilling to fight, must be sent away. The unwillingnes might arise from a man's outward condition. God would not be served by men forced against their will. Thy people shall be willing, Ps 110:3 In running the Christian race, and fighting the good fight of faith, we must lay aside all that would make us unwilling. If a man' unwillingness rose from weakness and fear, he had leave to return from the war. The reason here given is, lest his brethren's heart fail a well as his heart. We must take heed that we fear not with the fear of them that are afraid, Isa 8:12.
Original Hebrew ודברו1696 השׁטרים7860 אל413 העם5971 לאמר559 מי4310 האישׁ376 אשׁר834 בנה1129 בית1004 חדשׁ2319 ולא3808 חנכו2596 ילך1980 וישׁב7725 לביתו1004 פן6435 ימות4191 במלחמה4421 ואישׁ376 אחר312 יחנכנו׃2596
