Deuteronomy 20

1When thou goest outH3318 to battleH4421 against thy enemiesH341, and seestH7200 horsesH5483, and chariotsH7393, and a peopleH5971 moreH7227 than thou, be not afraidH3372 of them: for the LORDH3068 thy GodH430 is with thee, who brought theeH5927 out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714. 2And it shall be, when ye are come nearH7126 to the battleH4421, that the priestH3548 shall approachH5066 and speakH1696 to the peopleH5971, 3And shall sayH559 to them, HearH8085, O IsraelH3478, ye approachH7131 this dayH3117 to battleH4421 against your enemiesH341: let not your heartsH3824 faintH7401, fearH3372 not, and do not trembleH2648, neither be ye terrifiedH6206 becauseH6440 of them;12 4For the LORDH3068 your GodH430 is he that goethH1980 with you, to fightH3898 for you against your enemiesH341, to saveH3467 you. 5And the officersH7860 shall speakH1696 to the peopleH5971, sayingH559, What manH376 is there that hath builtH1129 a newH2319 houseH1004, and hath not dedicatedH2596 it? let him goH3212 and returnH7725 to his houseH1004, lest he should dieH4191 in the battleH4421, and anotherH312 manH376 should dedicateH2596 it. 6And what manH376 is he that hath plantedH5193 a vineyardH3754, and hath not yet eatenH2490 of it? let him also goH3212 and returnH7725 to his houseH1004, lest he should dieH4191 in the battleH4421, and anotherH312 manH376 should eatH2490 of it.3 7And what manH376 is there that hath betrothedH781 a wifeH802, and hath not takenH3947 her? let him goH3212 and returnH7725 to his houseH1004, lest he should dieH4191 in battleH4421, and anotherH312 manH376 should takeH3947 her. 8And the officersH7860 shall speakH1696 furtherH3254 to the peopleH5971, and they shall sayH559, What manH376 is there that is fearfulH3373 and faintheartedH7390H3824? let him goH3212 and returnH7725 to his houseH1004, lest his brethren’sH251 heartH3824 should faintH4549 as well as his heartH3824.4 9And it shall be, when the officersH7860 have finishedH3615 speakingH1696 to the peopleH5971, that they shall makeH6485 captainsH8269 of the armiesH6635 to leadH7218 the peopleH5971.5

10When thou comest nearH7126 to a cityH5892 to fightH3898 against it, then proclaimH7121 peaceH7965 to it. 11And it shall be, if it shall make thee answerH6030 of peaceH7965, and openH6605 to thee, then it shall be, that all the peopleH5971 that are foundH4672 in it shall be forced labourersH4522 to thee, and they shall serveH5647 thee. 12And if it will make no peaceH7999 with thee, but will makeH6213 warH4421 against thee, then thou shalt besiegeH6696 it: 13And when the LORDH3068 thy GodH430 hath deliveredH5414 it into thy handsH3027, thou shalt smiteH5221 every maleH2138 of it with the edgeH6310 of the swordH2719: 14But the womenH802, and the little onesH2945, and the cattleH929, and all that is in the cityH5892, even all the spoilH7998 of it, shalt thou takeH962 to thyself; and thou shalt eatH398 the spoilH7998 of thy enemiesH341, which the LORDH3068 thy GodH430 hath givenH5414 thee.6 15Thus shalt thou doH6213 to all the citiesH5892 which are veryH3966 distantH7350 from thee, whichH2007 are not of the citiesH5892 of these nationsH1471. 16But of the citiesH5892 of these peopleH5971, which the LORDH3068 thy GodH430 doth giveH5414 thee for an inheritanceH5159, thou shalt save aliveH2421 nothing that breathethH5397: 17But thou shalt utterlyH2763 destroyH2763 them; namely, the HittitesH2850, and the AmoritesH567, the CanaanitesH3669, and the PerizzitesH6522, the HivitesH2340, and the JebusitesH2983; as the LORDH3068 thy GodH430 hath commandedH6680 thee: 18That they may not teachH3925 you to doH6213 after all their abominationsH8441, which they have doneH6213 to their godsH430; so should ye sinH2398 against the LORDH3068 your GodH430. 19When thou shalt besiegeH6696 a cityH5892 a longH7227 timeH3117, in making warH3898 against it to takeH8610 it, thou shalt not destroyH7843 the treesH6086 of it by forcingH5080 an axeH1631 against them: for thou mayest eatH398 of them, and thou shalt not cut them downH3772 (for the treeH6086 of the fieldH7704 is man’sH120 life ) to employH935 them in the siegeH6440H4692:78 20Only the treesH6086 which thou knowestH3045 that they are not treesH6086 for foodH3978, thou shalt destroyH7843 and cut them downH3772; and thou shalt buildH1129 bulwarksH4692 against the cityH5892 that makethH6213 warH4421 with thee, until it shall be subduedH3381.9