Deuteronomy 20

1When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and a people more numerous than you, do not fear them, for Yahweh your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.

2When you draw near to battle, the priest will approach and speak to the people.

3He shall say to them, "Hear, Israel, you approach battle today against your enemies—do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, do not tremble, and do not be terrified before them."

4For Yahweh your God goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

5The officers shall speak to the people, saying, "Who is the man who has built a new house but not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it."

6Who is the man who has planted a vineyard and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.

7Who is the man who has betrothed a wife but has not taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take her.

8The officers shall speak further to the people and say, "Who is the man who is fearful and tenderhearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brothers melt as his heart."

9When the officers have finished speaking to the people, they will appoint army captains at the head of the people.

10When you approach a city to fight against it, announce peace to it.

11If it responds to you with peace and opens to you, then all the people found in it will become forced laborers for you and serve you.

12But if it does not make peace with you, but wages war against you, then you shall besiege it.

13When Yahweh your God gives it into your hand, you shall strike every male in it with the edge of the sword.

14Only the women, the little ones, the livestock, and everything in the city—even all its plunder—you shall take as booty for yourself, and you shall consume the spoil of your enemies, which Yahweh your God has given you.

15Thus you shall deal with all the cities very far from you, which are not cities of these nations.

16But in the cities of these nations that Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall not let anything that breathes live.

17But completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as Yahweh your God has commanded you.

18lest they teach you to do all their abominations, which they have done for their gods, and you sin against Yahweh your God.

19When you besiege a city for many days to fight against it and seize it, do not destroy its trees by driving an axe against them, for you eat from them and must not cut them down; for is a human the tree of the field, to come before you in the siege?

20Destroy and cut down only the trees you know are not trees for food, and build siegeworks against the city that makes war with you, until it falls.