Deuteronomy 20:8
New International Version
Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.”

New Living Translation
“Then the officers will also say, ‘Is anyone here afraid or worried? If you are, you may go home before you frighten anyone else.’

English Standard Version
And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own.’

Berean Standard Bible
Then the officers shall speak further to the army, saying, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him return home, so that the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
“The officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.’

New American Standard Bible
Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, ‘Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, so that he does not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart!’

NASB 1995
“Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, ‘Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him depart and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart.’

NASB 1977
“Then the officers shall speak further to the people, and they shall say, ‘Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him depart and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart.’

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, ‘Who is the man that is afraid and whose heart is faint? Let him go and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart.’

Amplified Bible
Then the officers shall speak further to the soldiers and say, ‘Who is the man who is afraid and lacks courage? Let him go and return to his house, so that he does not cause his brothers’ courage to fail like his own.’

Christian Standard Bible
The officers will continue to address the army and say, ‘Is there any man who is afraid or cowardly? Let him leave and return home, so that his brothers won’t lose heart as he did.’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The officers will continue to address the army and say, ‘Is there any man who is afraid or cowardly? Let him leave and return home, so that his brothers’ hearts won’t melt like his own.’

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

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the Scribes shall continue and they shall say to the people: 'Who is the man whose heart is afraid and fainthearted? Let him return, let him go to his house, lest he will subvert the heart of his brothers as his own'.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the scribes shall speak further to the people, and say, What man is he that fears and is cowardly in his heart? Let him go and return to his house, lest he make the heart of his brother fail, as his own.

Contemporary English Version
Finally, if any of you are afraid, you may go home. We don't want you to discourage the other soldiers.

Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

English Revised Version
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 melt as his heart.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The officers should also tell the troops, "If you are afraid or have lost your courage, you may go home. Then you won't ruin the morale of the other Israelites."

Good News Translation
"The officers will also say to the men, 'Is there any man here who has lost his nerve and is afraid? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, he will destroy the morale of the others.'

International Standard Version
"Let the officials also speak to the army, 'Is there a man here who is afraid and faint-hearted? Let him go back home. Otherwise, he may demoralize his fellow soldier.'

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say: 'What man is there that is fearful and faint-hearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart melt as his heart.'

Literal Standard Version
And the authorities have added to speak to the people and said, Who [is] the man that is afraid and tender of heart? Let him go and return to his house, and the heart of his brothers does not melt like his heart.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the officers shall speak further to the army, saying, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him return home, so that the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.”

New American Bible
The officials shall continue to speak to the army: “Is there anyone who is afraid and weakhearted? Let him return home, or else he might make the hearts of his fellows melt as his does.”

NET Bible
In addition, the officers are to say to the troops, "Who among you is afraid and fainthearted? He may go home so that he will not make his fellow soldier's heart as fearful as his own."

New Revised Standard Version
The officials shall continue to address the troops, saying, “Is anyone afraid or disheartened? He should go back to his house, or he might cause the heart of his comrades to melt like his own.”

New Heart English Bible
The officers shall speak further to the people, and they shall say, "What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest his brother's heart melt as his heart."

Webster's Bible Translation
And the officers shall speak further to the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and faint-hearted? let him go and return to his house, lest his brethren's heart should faint as well as his heart.

World English Bible
The officers shall speak further to the people, and they shall say, “What man is there who is fearful and faint-hearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest his brother’s heart melt as his heart.”

Young's Literal Translation
And the authorities have added to speak unto the people, and said, Who is the man that is afraid and tender of heart? -- let him go and turn back to his house, and the heart of his brethren doth not melt like his heart;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Laws of Warfare
7Has any man become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man marry her.” 8Then the officers shall speak further to the army, saying, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him return home, so that the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.” 9When the officers have finished addressing the army, they are to appoint commanders to lead it.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 20:9
When the officers have finished addressing the army, they are to appoint commanders to lead it.

Judges 7:3
Now, therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people: 'Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.'" So twenty-two thousand of them turned back, but ten thousand remained.

Proverbs 24:10
If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!


Treasury of Scripture

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

fearful

Deuteronomy 1:28
Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.

Deuteronomy 23:9
When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.

Judges 7:3
Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

lest his brethren's

Numbers 13:31-33
But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we…

Numbers 14:1-3
And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night…

Numbers 32:9
For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them.

faint [heb] melt

Deuteronomy 1:28
Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.

Exodus 15:15
Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.

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Deuteronomy 20
1. The priest's exhortation to encourage the people to battle
5. The officers' proclamation of who are to be dismissed from the war
10. How to use the cities that accept or refuse the proclamation of peace
16. What cities must be devoted
19. Trees must not be destroyed in the siege














Verse 8. - The shoterim were also to allow any that were naturally timid and fainthearted to return to their homes, lest, if they remained with the host, others, infected by them, should lose courage and become unfit for service. His brethren's heart faint; literally, flow down or melt (cf. Joshua 7:5). In Deuteronomy 1:28, this verb is rendered by "discouraged."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the officers
הַשֹּׁטְרִים֮ (haš·šō·ṭə·rîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7860: A scribe, an official superintendent, magistrate

shall speak
לְדַבֵּ֣ר (lə·ḏab·bêr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

further
וְיָסְפ֣וּ (wə·yā·sə·p̄ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3254: To add, augment

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the army,
הָעָם֒ (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

saying,
וְאָמְר֗וּ (wə·’ā·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Is any
מִי־ (mî-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

man
הָאִ֤ישׁ (hā·’îš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

afraid
הַיָּרֵא֙ (hay·yā·rê)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 3373: Fearing, reverent

or fainthearted?
וְרַ֣ךְ (wə·raḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7390: Tender, delicate, soft

Let him return
יֵלֵ֖ךְ (yê·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

home,
לְבֵית֑וֹ (lə·ḇê·ṯōw)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

so that the hearts
לְבַ֥ב (lə·ḇaḇ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3824: Inner man, mind, will, heart

of his brothers
אֶחָ֖יו (’e·ḥāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )

will not
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

melt
יִמַּ֛ס (yim·mas)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4549: To liquefy, to waste, to faint

like his own.”
כִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃ (kil·ḇā·ḇōw)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3824: Inner man, mind, will, heart


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 20:8 The officers shall speak further to (Deut. De Du)
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