Deuteronomy 20

1 If 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.

When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses, chariots, and a people more numerous than you, you shall not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, is with you.

2 And when the battle is now at hand, the priest shall stand before the army, and shall speak to the people in this manner:

It shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people,

3 Hear, 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:

and shall tell them, “Hear, Israel, you draw near today to battle against your enemies. Don’t let your heart faint! Don’t be afraid, nor tremble, neither be scared of them;

4 Because the Lord your God is in the midst of you, and will fight for you against your enemies, to deliver you from danger.

for the LORD your God is he who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”

5 And 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.

The officers shall speak to the people, saying, “What man is there 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.

6 What 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.

What man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not used its fruit? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use its fruit.

7 What 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.

What man is there who has pledged to be married to a wife, 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 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.

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.”

9 And 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.

It shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall appoint captains of armies at the head of the people.

10 If at any time thou come to fight against a city, thou shalt first offer it peace.

When you draw near to a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace to it.

11 If they receive it, and open the gates to thee, all the people that are therein, shall be saved, and shall serve thee paying tribute.

It shall be, if it gives you answer of peace and opens to you, then it shall be that all the people who are found therein shall become forced laborers to you, and shall serve you.

12 But if they will not make peace, and shall begin war against thee, thou shalt besiege it.

If it will make no peace with you, but will make war against you, then you shall besiege it.

13 And when the Lord thy God shall deliver it into thy bands, thou shalt slay all that are therein of the male sex, with the edge of the sword,

When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, you shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword;

14 Excepting 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.

but the women, the little ones, the livestock, and all that is in the city, even all its plunder, you shall take for plunder for yourself. You may use the plunder of your enemies, which the LORD your God has given you.

15 So 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.

Thus you shall do to all the cities which are very far off from you, which are not of the cities of these nations.

16 But of those cities that shall be given thee, thou shalt suffer none at all to live:

But of the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes;

17 But 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:

but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, as the LORD your God has commanded you;

18 Lest they teach you to do all the abominations which they have done to their gods: and you should sin against the Lord your God.

that they not teach you to follow all their abominations, which they have done for their gods; so would you sin against the LORD your God.

19 When 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.

When you shall besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them; for you may eat of them. You shall not cut them down, for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged by you?

20 But 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.

Only the trees that you know are not trees for food, you shall destroy and cut them down. You shall build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until it falls.