Charles Ellicott Commentary Deuteronomy 20:2

"And it shall be, when ye draw nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people," — Deuteronomy 20:2 (ASV)

The priest. —There is no mention of the Levite here. The priest is named as a distinct personage. The words which the priest is to pronounce are, as it were, the blessing of Jehovah on the campaign. It follows that Israel could not lawfully go to war except when the blessing of Jehovah might be invoked.