Deuteronomy

Chapter 20

1  The priest's exhortation to encourage the people to battle.  5  The officers' proclamation who are to be dismissed from the war.  10  How to use the cities that accept or refuse the proclamation of peace.  16  What cities must be devoted.  19  Trees of man's meat must not be destroyed in the siege.

20:1 ¶ When (3588) thou goest out {3318} <8799> to battle {4421} against (5921) thine enemies, {341} <8802> and seest {7200} <8804> horses, {5483} and chariots, {7393} [and] a people {5971} more {7227} than (4480) thou, be not afraid {3372} <8799> (3808) of (4480) them: for (3588) the LORD {3068} thy God {430} [is] with (5973) thee, which brought thee up {5927} <8688> out of the land {776} (4480) of Egypt. {4714}

20:2 And it shall be, (1961) when ye are come nigh {7126} <8800> unto (413) the battle, {4421} that the priest {3548} shall approach {5066} <8738> and speak {1696} <8765> unto (413) the people, {5971}

20:3 And shall say {559} <8804> unto (413) them, Hear, {8085} <8798> O Israel, {3478} ye (859) approach {7131} this day {3117} unto battle {4421} against (5921) your enemies: {341} <8802> let not (408) your hearts {3824} faint, {7401} <8735> fear {3372} <8799> not, (408) and do not (408) tremble, {2648} <8799> neither (408) be ye terrified {6206} <8799> because [6440] of (4480) (6440) them;

20:4 For (3588) the LORD {3068} your God {430} [is] he that goeth {1980} <8802> with (5973) you, to fight {3898} <8736> for you against (5973) your enemies, {341} <8802> to save {3467} <8687> you.

20:5 ¶ And the officers {7860} <8802> shall speak {1696} <8765> unto (413) the people, {5971} saying, {559} <8800> What (4310) man {376} [is there] that (834) hath built {1129} <8804> a new {2319} house, {1004} and hath not (3808) dedicated {2596} <8804> it? let him go [3212] <8799> (1980) and return {7725} <8799> to his house, {1004} lest (6435) he die {4191} <8799> in the battle, {4421} and another {312} man {376} dedicate {2596} <8799> it.

20:6 And what (4310) man {376} [is he] that (834) hath planted {5193} <8804> a vineyard, {3754} and hath not (3808) [yet] eaten {2490} <8765> of it? let him [also] go [3212] <8799> (1980) and return {7725} <8799> unto his house, {1004} lest (6435) he die {4191} <8799> in the battle, {4421} and another {312} man {376} eat {2490} <8762> of it.

20:7 And what (4310) man {376} [is there] that (834) hath betrothed {781} <8765> a wife, {802} and hath not (3808) taken {3947} <8804> her? let him go [3212] <8799> (1980) and return {7725} <8799> unto his house, {1004} lest (6435) he die {4191} <8799> in the battle, {4421} and another {312} man {376} take {3947} <8799> her.

20:8 And the officers {7860} <8802> shall speak {1696} <8763> further {3254} <8804> unto (413) the people, {5971} and they shall say, {559} <8804> What (4310) man {376} [is there that is] fearful {3373} and fainthearted? {7390} {3824} let him go [3212] <8799> (1980) and return {7725} <8799> unto his house, {1004} lest (3808) (853) his brethren's {251} heart {3824} faint {4549} <8735> as well as his heart. {3824}

20:9 And it shall be, (1961) when the officers {7860} <8802> have made an end {3615} <8763> of speaking {1696} <8763> unto (413) the people, {5971} that they shall make {6485} <8804> captains {8269} of the armies {6635} to lead {7218} the people. {5971}

20:10 ¶ When (3588) thou comest nigh {7126} <8799> unto (413) a city {5892} to fight {3898} <8736> against (5921) it, then proclaim {7121} <8804> peace {7965} unto (413) it.

20:11 And it shall be, (1961) if (518) it make thee answer {6030} <8799> of peace, {7965} and open {6605} <8804> unto thee, then it shall be, (1961) [that] all (3605) the people {5971} [that is] found {4672} <8737> therein shall be (1961) tributaries {4522} unto thee, and they shall serve {5647} <8804> thee.

20:12 And if (518) it will make no peace {7999} <8686> (3808) with (5973) thee, but will make {6213} <8804> war {4421} against (5973) thee, then thou shalt besiege {6696} <8804> (5921) it:

20:13 And when the LORD {3068} thy God {430} hath delivered {5414} <8804> it into thine hands, {3027} thou shalt smite {5221} <8689> (853) every (3605) male {2138} thereof with the edge {6310} of the sword: {2719}

20:14 But (7535) the women, {802} and the little ones, {2945} and the cattle, {929} and all (3605) that (834) is (1961) in the city, {5892} [even] all (3605) the spoil {7998} thereof, shalt thou take {962} <8799> unto thyself; and thou shalt eat {398} <8804> (853) the spoil {7998} of thine enemies, {341} <8802> which (834) the LORD {3068} thy God {430} hath given {5414} <8804> thee.

20:15 Thus (3651) shalt thou do {6213} <8799> unto all (3605) the cities {5892} [which are] very {3966} far off {7350} from (4480) thee, which [2007] (834) [are] not (3808) of the cities {5892} (4480) of these (428) nations. {1471}

20:16 But (7535) of the cities {5892} (4480) of these (428) people, {5971} which (834) the LORD {3068} thy God {430} doth give {5414} <8802> thee [for] an inheritance, {5159} thou shalt save alive {2421} <8762> nothing (3808) (3605) that breatheth: {5397}

20:17 But (3588) thou shalt utterly [2763] <8687> destroy {2763} <8686> them; [namely], the Hittites, {2850} and the Amorites, {567} the Canaanites, {3669} and the Perizzites, {6522} the Hivites, {2340} and the Jebusites; {2983} as (834) the LORD {3068} thy God {430} hath commanded {6680} <8765> thee:

20:18 That (4616) (834) they teach {3925} <8762> you not (3808) to do {6213} <8800> after all (3605) their abominations, {8441} which (834) they have done {6213} <8804> unto their gods; {430} so should ye sin {2398} <8804> against the LORD {3068} your God. {430}

20:19 ¶ When (3588) thou shalt besiege {6696} <8799> (413) a city {5892} a long {7227} time, {3117} in making war {3898} <8736> against (5921) it to take {8610} <8800> it, thou shalt not (3808) destroy {7843} <8686> (853) the trees {6086} thereof by forcing {5080} <8800> an axe {1631} against (5921) them: for (3588) thou mayest eat {398} <8799> of (4480) them, and thou shalt not (3808) cut them down {3772} <8799> (853) (for (3588) the tree {6086} of the field {7704} [is] man's {120} [life]) to employ {935} <8800> (4480) (6440) [them] in the siege: {4692} [6440]

20:20 Only (7535) the trees {6086} which (834) thou knowest {3045} <8799> that (3588) they (1931) [be] not (3808) trees {6086} for meat, {3978} thou shalt destroy {7843} <8686> and cut them down; {3772} <8804> and thou shalt build {1129} <8804> bulwarks {4692} against (5921) the city {5892} that (834) (1931) maketh {6213} <8802> war {4421} with (5973) thee, until (5704) it be subdued. {3381} <8800>