Deuteronomy 20

American Standard-ASV1901 (ASV)

1 Ref When thou goest forth to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, `and' a people more than thou, thou shalt not be afraid of them; for Jehovah thy God is with thee, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

2 Ref And it shall be, when ye draw nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,

3 Ref and shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye draw nigh this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint; fear not, nor tremble, neither be ye affrighted at them;

4 Ref for Jehovah your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

5 Ref And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, 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.

6 Ref And what man is there that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not used the fruit thereof? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use the fruit thereof.

7 Ref And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.

8 Ref And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and faint-hearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart melt as his heart.

9 And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall appoint captains of hosts at the head of the people.

10 Ref When thou drawest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.

11 Ref And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that are found therein shall become tributary unto thee, and shall serve thee.

12 And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:

13 Ref and when Jehovah thy God delivereth it into thy hand, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:

14 Ref but the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take for a prey unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which Jehovah thy God hath given thee.

15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.

16 Ref But of the cities of these peoples, that Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth;

17 Ref but thou shalt utterly destroy them: the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee;

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

19 Ref When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by wielding an axe against them; for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down; for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged of thee?

20 Ref Only the trees of which thou knowest that they are not trees for food, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it fall.

World English Bible (WEB)

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

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

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

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

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

7 Ref 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.

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

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

11 Ref It shall be, if it make you answer of peace, and open to you, then it shall be, that all the people who are found therein shall become tributary to you, and shall serve you.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

19 Ref When you shall besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy the trees of it 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?

20 Ref 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 bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until it fall.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 Ref `When thou goest out to battle against thine enemy, and hast seen horse and chariot -- a people more numerous than thou -- thou art not afraid of them, for Jehovah thy God `is' with thee, who is bringing thee up out of the land of Egypt;

2 Ref and it hath been, in your drawing near unto the battle, that the priest hath come nigh, and spoken unto the people,

3 Ref and said unto them, Hear, Israel, ye are drawing near to-day to battle against your enemies, let not your hearts be tender, fear not, nor make haste, nor be terrified at their presence,

4 Ref for Jehovah your God `is' He who is going with you, to fight for you with your enemies -- to save you.

5 Ref `And the authorities have spoken unto the people, saying, Who `is' the man that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? -- let him go and turn back to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man dedicate it.

6 Ref `And who `is' the man that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not made it common? -- let him go and turn back to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man make it common.

7 Ref `And who `is' the man that hath betrothed a woman, and hath not taken her? -- let him go and turn back to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man take her.

8 Ref `And the authorities have added to speak unto the people, and said, Who `is' the man that is afraid and tender of heart? -- let him go and turn back to his house, and the heart of his brethren doth not melt like his heart;

9 and it hath come to pass as the authorities finish to speak unto the people, that they have appointed princes of the hosts at the head of the people.

10 Ref `When thou drawest near unto a city to fight against it, then thou hast called unto it for Peace,

11 Ref and it hath been, if Peace it answer thee, and hath opened to thee, then it hath come to pass -- all the people who are found in it are to thee for tributaries, and have served thee.

12 `And if it doth not make peace with thee, and hath made with thee war, then thou hast laid siege against it,

13 Ref and Jehovah thy God hath given it into thy hand, and thou hast smitten every male of it by the mouth of the sword.

14 Ref Only, the women, and the infants, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, thou dost seize for thyself, and thou hast eaten the spoil of thine enemies which Jehovah thy God hath given to thee.

15 So thou dost do to all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.

16 Ref `Only, of the cities of these peoples which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee `for' an inheritance, thou dost not keep alive any breathing;

17 Ref for thou dost certainly devote the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee,

18 Ref so that they teach you not to do according to all their abominations which they have done to their gods, and ye have sinned against Jehovah your God.

19 Ref `When thou layest siege unto a city many days, to fight against it, to capture it, thou dost not destroy its trees to force an axe against them, for of them thou dost eat, and them thou dost not cut down -- for man's `is' the tree of the field -- to go in at thy presence in the siege.

20 Ref Only, the tree, which thou knowest that it `is' not a fruit-tree, it thou dost destroy, and hast cut down, and hast built a bulwark against the city which is making with thee war till thou hast subdued it.

Chapter 20 of 34

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