Deuteronomy 20

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

“When you go out to battle against your enemy, and have seen horse and chariot—a people more numerous than you—you are not afraid of them, for your God YHWH [is] with you, who is bringing you up out of the land of Egypt;

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

and it has been, in your drawing near to the battle, that the priest has come near, and spoken to the people,

3 and shall tell them, "Hear, Israel, you draw near this day to battle against your enemies: do not let your heart faint; do not be afraid, nor tremble, neither be scared of them;

and said to them, Hear, O Israel: You are drawing near today to battle against your enemies, do not let your hearts be tender, do not fear, nor make haste, nor be terrified at their presence,

4 for YHWH your God is he who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you."

for your God YHWH [is] He who is going with you, to fight for you with your enemies—to save you.

5 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.

And the authorities have spoken to the people, saying, Who [is] the man that has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in battle and another man dedicate it.

6 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.

And who [is] the man that has planted a vineyard and has not made it common? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man make it common.

7 What man is there who has pledged to be married 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."

And who [is] the man that has betrothed a woman and has not taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man take her.

8 The officers shall speak further to the people, and they shall say, "What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest his brother's heart melt as his heart."

And the authorities have added to speak to the people and said, Who [is] the man that is afraid and tender of heart? Let him go and return to his house, and the heart of his brothers does not melt like his heart.

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

And it has come to pass, as the authorities finish to speak to the people, that they have appointed princes of the hosts at the head of the people.

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

When you draw near to a city to fight against it, then you have called to it for peace,

11 It shall be, if it makes you answer of peace, and opens to you, then it shall be, that all the people who are found in it shall become tributary to you, and shall serve you.

and it has been, if it answers you [with] peace, and has opened to you, then it has come to pass, all the people who are found in it are for tributaries to you, and have served you.

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

And if it does not make peace with you, and has made war with you, then you have laid siege against it,

13 and when YHWH your God delivers it into your hand, you shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword:

and your God YHWH has given it into your hand, and you have struck every male of it by the mouth of the sword.

14 but the women, and the little ones, and the livestock, and all that is in the city, even all its spoil, you shall take for a prey to yourself; and you shall eat the spoil of your enemies, which YHWH your God has given you.

Only, the women, and the infants, and the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you seize for yourself, and you have eaten the spoil of your enemies which your God YHWH has given to you.

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

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

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

Only, of the cities of these peoples which your God YHWH is giving to you [for] an inheritance, you do not keep alive any [that are] breathing;

17 but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hethite, and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite; as YHWH your God has commanded you;

for you certainly devote the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, as your God YHWH has commanded you,

18 that they not teach you to do after all their abominations, which they have done to their gods; so would you sin against YHWH your God.

so that they do not teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their gods, and you have sinned against your God YHWH.

19 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 axe against them; for you may eat of them, and you shall not cut them down; for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged of you?

When you lay siege to a city [for] many days to fight against it, to capture it, you do not destroy its trees to force an axe against them, for you eat of them, and you do not cut them down—for the tree of the field [is] man’s—to go in at your presence in the siege.

20 Only the trees of which you know that they are not trees for food, you shall destroy and cut them down; and you shall build siege works against the city that makes war with you, until it fall.

Only, the tree of which you know that it [is] not a fruit-tree, you destroy it, and have cut [it] down, and have built a bulwark against the city which is making war with you until you have subdued it.”