Deuteronomy 20
Before going into battle, the priest and officers are to encourage the soldiers and remind them that God is with them, and they should not be afraid. Those who have recently built a house, planted a vineyard, or become engaged are allowed to return home, as well as anyone who is overcome with fear. When approaching a city to fight, the Israelites are to offer peace first, and if the city refuses, they are to besiege it and kill all the males, but spare the women, children, and livestock. However, in cities that God has given to the Israelites as a possession, they are to kill everyone to prevent them from teaching the Israelites to commit abominations. When besieging a city, the Israelites are not to cut down fruit trees, but may use non-fruitful trees for other purposes.
1"If you go out to battle against your enemies, and you see horsemen and chariots, and that the multitude of your adversary’s army is greater than your own, you shall not fear them. For the Lord your God, who led you away from the land of Egypt, is with you2Then, as the battle now draws near, the priest shall stand before the front ranks, and he shall speak to the people in this manner3‘Listen, O Israel! Today you engage in a battle against your enemies. Do not let your heart be overwhelmed with fear. Do not be apprehensive. Do not yield. You should have no dread of them4For the Lord your God is in your midst, and he will contend against your enemies on your behalf, so that he may rescue you from peril.5Likewise, the officers shall proclaim, throughout every company, in the hearing of the soldiers: ‘What man is there who has built a new house, and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest perhaps he may die in the battle, and another man may dedicate it6What man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not yet caused it to be common, so that all may eat from it? Let him go, and return to his house, lest perhaps he may die in the battle, and another man may carry out his office7What man is there, who has betrothed a wife, and has not taken her? Let him go, and return to his house, lest perhaps he may die in battle, and another man may take her.8After these things have been declared, they shall add the remainder, and shall say to the people: ‘What man is there who is overwhelmed by fear and is fainthearted? Let him go, and return to his house, lest he cause the hearts of his brothers to fear, just as he himself has been thoroughly stricken with fear.9And when the officers of the army have become silent, and have completed their speech, each one shall prepare his unit to wage war10When, at any time, you approach a city to fight against it, you shall first offer peace to it11If they receive it, and open the gates to you, then all the people who are in it shall be saved, and they shall serve you by paying tribute12But if they are not willing to enter into an agreement, and they begin to act against you in warfare, then you shall besiege it13And when the Lord your God will have delivered it into your hands, you shall strike down anyone who is in it, of the male gender, with the edge of the sword14but not the women and young children, nor the cattle and the other things that are within the city. And you shall divide all the plunder to the soldiers, and you shall eat the spoils from your enemies, which the Lord your God will give to you15So shall you do to all the cities which are at a great distance from you, those which are not among the cities that you shall receive as a possession16But among those cities which shall be given to you, you shall not permit anyone at all to live17Instead, you shall put them to death with the edge of the sword, specifically: the Hittite and the Amorite and the Canaanite, the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the Lord your God has commanded you18Otherwise, they may teach you to do all the abominations which they have committed for their own gods. And then you would sin against the Lord your God19When you will have besieged a city for a long time, and you will have encircled it with fortifications, so that you may fight against it, you shall not cut down trees from which one is able to eat, neither shall you cause devastation with axes to the surrounding region. For it is a tree, and not a man. It is not able to increase the number of those who are fighting against you20But if there are any trees which are not fruitful, but are wild, and if these are fit for other uses, then cut them down, and make machines, until you have captured the city that is contending against you.
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