Open English Translation DEU Chapter 20

20 When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see many horses and chariots and a bigger army than yours, don’t be afraid of them, because your god Yahweh who helped you out of Egypt is with you. 2 As you approach the place of battle, the high priest must go and stand in front of the warriors, 3 and tell them, “Listen, Yisrael, you’re about to battle against your enemies. Don’t be nervous or afraid, and don’t tremble or be terrified of them, 4 because your god Yahweh will go with you to fight for you against your enemies. He’ll give you victory.”

5 Then the officers must ask the people, “Is there anyone here who’s just built a new house and hasn’t dedicated it yet? If so, he can go home in case he dies in battle and someone else gets to dedicate his house. 6 Is there anyone who’s planted a vineyard and not benefitted from it yet? If so, he can go home in case he dies in battle and someone else enjoys the grape harvest. 7 Is there anyone who’s gotten engaged, but not yet married? If so, he can go home in case he died in battle and someone else marries her.”

8 Then those officers should also ask, “Is there anyone who’s scared or fearful? If so, he should go home so his fear doesn’t spread to others.” 9 Once they’ve finished speaking with the fighting men, they must appoint commanders over them.

10 When you approach a city ready to attack it, first call out to offer peace for surrender, 11 and if they agree to surrender and open the city gates, then they’ll all be forced to work for you. 12 But if they refuse your terms and decide to fight against you, then you should besiege that city. 13 Then when your god Yahweh helps you to capture it, you must kill every male in that city. 14 However, you can take the women and children and cattle and everything else in the city as plunder for yourself. You can enjoy your enemies’ possessions that Yahweh has given to you. 15 That’s how you should treat the cities located far from you—it doesn’t apply to the cities of nearby peoples.

16 In contrast, the cities of those peoples that your god Yahweh is giving you as an inheritance, you mustn’t leave a single living thing alive 17 because you must complete eliminate the Hittes, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Yevusites. Do that just as your god Yahweh commanded you 18 so that they don’t teach you to sin against Yahweh by doing any of their abhorrent activities that they do for their gods.

19 When you besiege a city for a lengthy period, battling against it to capture it, you mustn’t use your axes to destroy its trees, because you can eat their fruit. Don’t cut them down because the trees in the countryside aren’t likely to turn around and attack you. 20 However, the trees that aren’t fruit trees can be cut down and make ladders and towers to enable you to go over the walls and capture the city that is resisting you.