1 ¶ Cuando salieres a la guerra contra tus enemigos, y vieres caballos y carros, un pueblo más grande que tú, no tengas temor de ellos, que el SEÑOR tu Dios está contigo, el cual te sacó de tierra de Egipto.

“When you go to battle against those who hate you and see more horses and war-wagons and soldiers than you have, do not be afraid of them. For the Lord your God, Who brought you from the land of Egypt, is with you.

2 Y será que, cuando os acercaréis para combatir, llegará el sacerdote, y hablará al pueblo,

When you are coming near the battle, the religious leader will come near and speak to the people.

3 y les dirá: Oye, Israel, vosotros os juntáis hoy en batalla contra vuestros enemigos; no se ablande vuestro corazón, no temáis, ni tengáis miedo, ni tampoco os desalentéis delante de ellos;

He will say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel. Today you are going into battle against those who hate you. Do not let your hearts become weak. Do not be afraid and shake in fear before them.

4 q ue el SEÑOR vuestro Dios anda con vosotros, para pelear por vosotros contra vuestros enemigos, para salvaros.

For the Lord your God is the One Who goes with you. He will fight for you against those who hate you. And He will save you.’

5 Y los alcaldes hablarán al pueblo, diciendo: ¿Quién ha edificado casa nueva, y no la ha estrenado? Que se vaya, y vuelva a su casa, para que no muera por ventura en la batalla, y algún otro la estrene.

The leaders will speak to the people also, saying, ‘Is there anyone among you who has built a new house and has not given it to God? Let him go and return to his house or he might die in battle and another man will give it to God.

6 ¿ Y quién ha plantado viña, y no ha disfrutado de ella? Vaya, y vuelva a su casa, para que por ventura no muera en la batalla, y algún otro la disfrute.

Is there anyone who has planted grape vines and has not begun to eat their fruit? Let him go and return to his house or he might die in the battle and another man will begin to eat the fruit.

7 ¿ Y quién se ha desposado con mujer, y no la ha tomado? Vaya, y vuelva a su casa, para que por ventura no muera en la batalla, y algún otro la tome.

Is there a man who is promised in marriage to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house or he might die in the battle and another man marry her.’

8 Y volverán los alcaldes a hablar al pueblo, y dirán: ¿Quién es hombre medroso y cobarde de corazón? Vaya, y vuelva a su casa, y no apoque el corazón de sus hermanos, como su corazón.

Then the leaders will say to the people, ‘Is there a man here who is afraid and is weak in heart? Let him go and return to his house so he will not make his brothers’ hearts afraid like his heart.’

9 Y será que, cuando los alcaldes acabaren de hablar al pueblo, entonces los capitanes de los ejércitos tomaran el mando delante del pueblo.

When the leaders have finished speaking to the people, they will choose heads of the army to lead the people.

10 ¶ Cuando te acercares a una ciudad para combatirla, le proclamarás la paz.

“When you come near a city to fight against it, ask the people of the city if they would rather have peace.

11 Y será que, si te respondiere: Paz, y te abriere, todo el pueblo que en ella fuere hallado te serán tributarios, y te servirán.

If they agree to make peace with you and open their gates to you, all the people who are found there will be made to work for you and serve you.

12 M as si no hiciere paz contigo, y emprendiere contigo guerra, y la cercares,

But if they do not make peace with you and fight against you, you must take the city in battle.

13 y el SEÑOR tu Dios la entregare en tu mano, entonces herirás a todo varón suyo a filo de espada.

When the Lord your God gives the city to you, you must kill all the men in it with the sword.

14 S olamente las mujeres y los niños, y los animales, y todo lo que hubiere en la ciudad, todos sus despojos, tomarás para ti; y comerás del despojo de tus enemigos, los cuales el SEÑOR tu Dios te entregó.

Take for yourselves what is left, the women, the children, all the animals, and all that is in the city. Use what is left of those who fought against you, which the Lord your God has given you.

15 A sí harás a todas las ciudades que estuvieren muy lejos de ti, que no fueren de las ciudades de estos gentiles.

Do this to all the cities that are very far from you and are not of the cities of the nations that are near.

16 S olamente de las ciudades de estos pueblos que el SEÑOR tu Dios te da por heredad, no dejarás con vida nada que respire;

But in the cities of these nations that the Lord your God is giving you for your own, do not leave alive anything that breathes.

17 d el todo los destruirás: al heteo, al amorreo, al cananeo, al ferezeo, al heveo, y al jebuseo, como el SEÑOR tu Dios te ha mandado;

Destroy everything and everyone in them, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, as the Lord your God has told you.

18 p ara que no os enseñen a hacer según todas sus abominaciones, que ellos hacen a sus dioses, y pequéis contra el SEÑOR vuestro Dios.

Then they will not teach you to do all the hated and sinful things they have done for their gods, and make you sin against the Lord your God.

19 C uando pusieres cerco a alguna ciudad, peleando contra ella muchos días para tomarla, no destruyas su arboleda metiendo en ella hacha, porque de ella comerás; y no la talarás, (porque el árbol del campo es la vida del hombre) para emplearla en el cerco.

“When you stay around a city a long time, to make war against it and take it, do not destroy its trees with the ax. You may eat from them but do not cut them down. For are trees of the field men that they should be killed?

20 M as el árbol que supieres que no es árbol para comer, lo destruirás y lo talarás, y edificarás baluarte contra la ciudad que pelea contigo, hasta sojuzgarla.

You may destroy and cut down only the trees you know are not fruit trees. Then you may build walls with the trees to help you fight against the city that makes war with you, until it falls.