Deuteronomy 20:2

The priest. Not the high priest or any one of the priests, but the military priest, the priest appointed to accompany the army, "the anointed for the war;" משׁיח המלחמה , as the rabbins designate him (cf. Numbers 21:6 ; 1 Samuel 4:4 ; 2 Chronicles 13:12 ). His business was to exhort the people, and to encourage them by reminding them that the Lord was their Leader, and would help them in the conflict. The formula of his exhortation is given in Deuteronomy 20:3 , Deuteronomy 20:4 .