1 “ 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.

“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 W hen you are coming near the battle, the religious leader will come near and speak to 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 H e 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.

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 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.’

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

5 T he 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.

“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 I s 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.

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 I s 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.’

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 T hen 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.’

“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 W hen the leaders have finished speaking to the people, they will choose heads of the army to lead 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 “ When you come near a city to fight against it, ask the people of the city if they would rather have peace.

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

11 I f 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.

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

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

13 W hen the Lord your God gives the city to you, you must kill all the men in it with 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 T ake 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.

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

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

“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 D estroy 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.

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 hen 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.

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 “ 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?

“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 Y ou 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.

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.