1 W hen thou goest out to war against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, a people more numerous than thou, thou shalt not fear them; for Jehovah thy God is with thee, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

“When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.

2 A nd it shall be, when ye approach unto the battle, that the priest shall draw near and speak unto the people,

So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people.

3 a nd shall say unto them, Hear, Israel, ye are approaching this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be afraid of them;

And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them;

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

for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’

5 A nd 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 unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.

“Then 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 A nd what man is there that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not eaten of it? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.

Also what man is there who has planted a vineyard and has not eaten of it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man eat of it.

7 A nd 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.

And what man is there who is betrothed to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man marry her.’

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

“The officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.’

9 A nd it shall be, when the officers have ended speaking unto the people, that they shall place captains of the hosts at the head of the people.

And so it shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.

10 W hen thou approachest unto a city to fight against it, thou shalt proclaim peace unto it.

“When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it.

11 A nd it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then all the people that are found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.

And it shall be that if they accept your offer of peace, and open to you, then all the people who are found in it shall be placed under tribute to you, and serve you.

12 A nd if it will not make peace with thee, but will make war with thee, then thou shalt besiege it;

Now if the city will not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it.

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

And when the Lord your God delivers it into your hands, you shall strike every male in it with the edge of the sword.

14 o nly the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that shall be in the city, all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take as booty for thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee

But the women, the little ones, the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall plunder for yourself; and you shall eat the enemies’ plunder which the Lord your God gives you.

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

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

16 B ut of the cities of these peoples which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth,

“But of the cities of these peoples which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall let nothing that breathes remain alive,

17 b ut shalt utterly devote them to destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee;

but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the Lord your God has commanded you,

18 t hat they teach you not to do according to all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods, so that ye sin against Jehovah your God.

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

19 W hen thou shalt besiege a city many days, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by lifting up an axe against them; for thou canst eat of them; and thou shalt not cut them down, for is the tree of the field a man that it should be besieged?

“When you besiege a city for a long time, while making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them; if you can eat of them, do not cut them down to use in the siege, for the tree of the field is man’s food.

20 O nly the trees which thou knowest are not trees for meat, thou mayest destroy and cut them down, and build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it fall.

Only the trees which you know are not trees for food you may destroy and cut down, to build siegeworks against the city that makes war with you, until it is subdued.