Deuteronomy 20
20
1If thou go out to war against thy enemies, and see horsemen and chariots, and the numbers of the enemy's army greater than thine, thou shalt not fear them: because the Lord thy God is with thee, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt.
2And when the battle is now at hand, the priest shall stand before the army, and shall speak to the people in this manner:
3Hear, O Israel. You join battle this day against your enemies: let not your heart be dismayed, be not afraid, do not give back, fear ye them not:
4Because the Lord your God is in the midst of you, and will fight for you against your enemies, to deliver you from danger.
5And the captains shall proclaim through every band in the hearing of the army: What man is there, that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.
6What man is there, that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not as yet made it to be common, whereof all men may eat? Let him go, and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man execute his office.
7What man is there, that hath espoused a wife, and not taken her? Let him go, and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man take her.
8After 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.
9And when the captains of the army shall hold their peace, and have made an end of speaking, every man shall prepare their bands to fight.
10If at any time thou come to fight against a city, thou shalt first offer it peace.
11If they receive it, and open the gates to thee, all the people that are therein shall be saved, and shall serve thee paying tribute.
12But if they will not make peace, and shall begin war against thee, thou shalt besiege it.
13And when the Lord thy God shall deliver it into thy hands, thou shalt slay all that are therein of the male sex, with the edge of the sword:
14Excepting women and children, cattle and other things, that are in the city. And thou shalt divide all the prey to the army: and thou shalt eat the spoils of thy enemies, which the Lord thy God shall give thee.
15So shalt thou do to all cities that are at a great distance from thee, and are not of these cities which thou shalt receive in possession.
16But of those cities that shall be given thee thou shalt suffer none at all to live:
17But shalt kill them with the edge of the sword: to wit, the Hethite, and the Amorrhite, and the Chanaanite, the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee:
18Lest they teach you to do all the abominations which they have done to their gods: and you should sin against the Lord your God.
19When thou hast besieged a city a long time, and hath compassed it with bulwarks to take it, thou shalt not cut down the trees that may be eaten of: neither shalt thou spoil the country round about with axes. For it is a tree, and not a man: neither can it increase the number of them that fight against thee.
20But if there be any trees that are not fruitful, but wild, and fit for other uses: cut them down, and make engines, until thou take the city, which fighteth against thee.
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Deuteronomy 20: DRC1752
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Deḇarim (Deuteronomy) 20
20
1“When you go out to battle against your enemies, and shall see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them, for יהוה your Elohim, who brought you up from the land of Mitsrayim, is with you.
2“And it shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall come and speak to the people,
3and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Yisra’ĕl: You are drawing near today to battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not fear, or tremble, or be afraid before them,
4for יהוה your Elohim is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’
5“And the officers shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Who is the man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.
6And who is the man who has planted a vineyard and has not begun to use it? Let him also go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man should begin to use it.
7And who is the man who is engaged to a woman and has not taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take her.’
8“And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘Who is the man who is afraid and tender of heart? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brothers faint like his heart.’
9“And it shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall appoint commanders of the divisions to lead the people.
10“When you draw near to a city to fight against it, then you shall make a call for peace to it.
11“And it shall be that if it accepts your call for peace, and shall open to you, then all the people found in it are to be your compulsory labour, and serve you.
12“But if it does not make peace with you, and shall fight against you, then you shall besiege it,
13and יהוה your Elohim shall give it into your hands, and you shall strike every male in it with the edge of the sword.
14“Only the women, and the little ones, and the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you take as plunder for yourself. And you shall eat the enemies’ plunder which יהוה your Elohim gives you.
15“Do so to all the cities which are very far from you, which are not of the cities of these nations.
16Only, of the cities of these peoples which יהוה your Elohim gives you as an inheritance, you do not keep alive any that breathe,”
17but you shall certainly put them under the ban: the Ḥittite and the Amorite and the Kena‛anite and the Perizzite and the Ḥiwwite and the Yeḇusite, as יהוה your Elohim has commanded you,
18lest they teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their mighty ones, and you sin against יהוה your Elohim.
19“When you besiege a city for a long time by fighting against it to take it, you do not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them. If you do eat of them, do not cut them down. For is the tree of the field a man to be besieged by you?
20“Only the trees which you know are not trees for food you do destroy and cut down, to build siege-works against the city that is fighting against you, until it falls.
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