Deuteronomy 20:8

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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The officers address the assembled army immediately after announcing exemptions for newly engaged men, directing them to dismiss any fearful soldier before combat begins.

The words — The Hebrew שֹׁטְרִים (shoṭrîm, "officials") and אִישׁ (ʾîš, "man") anchor the command, as the officials announce to the people that any man who is afraid should return home.

The thread — This fear-based dismissal mirrors the exemption in Judges 7:3 and echoes the motif of melted hearts in Deuteronomy 1:28, while Revelation 21:8 later lists the cowardly among those excluded from the new Jerusalem.

Why it lands — The text requires military leadership to remove hesitant individuals before battle, explicitly stating that their withdrawal prevents the demoralization of their comrades.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

King James 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 faint as well as his heart.

Cross-references

Judges 7:3 Now, therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the men: ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand of them turned back, but ten thousand remained.
Deuteronomy 1:28 Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying: ‘The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the heavens. We even saw the descendants of the Anakim there.’”
Revelation 21:8 But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”
Acts 15:37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark.
Numbers 32:9 For when your fathers went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land that the LORD had given them.
Deuteronomy 23:9 When you are encamped against your enemies, then you shall keep yourself from every wicked thing.
Luke 9:62 Then Jesus declared, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Exodus 15:15 Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; trembling will seize the leaders of Moab; those who dwell in Canaan will melt away,
Numbers 13:31 But the men who had gone up with him replied, “We cannot go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are!”
1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”