1 C uando salgas a la guerra contra tus enemigos, si ves caballos y carros, y un pueblo más grande que tú, no tengas temor de ellos, porque está contigo Jehová tu Dios, 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 cuando os acerquéis para combatir, se pondrá en pie 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 desmaye vuestro corazón, no temáis, ni os azoréis, 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 p orque Jehová vuestro Dios va 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 oficiales hablarán al pueblo, diciendo: ¿Quién ha edificado casa nueva, y no la ha estrenado? Vaya, y vuélvase a su casa, no sea que muera en la batalla, y otro hombre 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 vuélvase a su casa, no sea que muera en la batalla, y 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 vuélvase a su casa, no sea que muera en la batalla, y otro hombre 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 oficiales a hablar al pueblo, y dirán: ¿Quién es hombre medroso y pusilánime? Vaya, y vuélvase a su casa, y no apoque el corazón de sus hermanos, como el corazón suyo.

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 cuando los oficiales acaben de hablar al pueblo, entonces los capitanes del ejército tomarán el mando a la cabeza del pueblo. La conquista de las ciudades

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

10 C uando te acerques a una ciudad para combatirla, le propondrás 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 si responde: Paz, y te abre, todo el pueblo que en ella sea hallado te será tributario, y te servirá.

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 hace paz contigo, y emprende guerra contigo, entonces la sitiarás.

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

13 L uego que Jehová tu Dios la entregue en tu mano, 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 haya en la ciudad, todo su botín tomarás para ti; y comerás del botín de tus enemigos, los cuales Jehová 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 estén muy lejos de ti, que no sean de las ciudades de estas naciones.

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 P ero de las ciudades de estos pueblos que Jehová tu Dios te da por heredad, ninguna persona dejarás con vida,

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 s ino que los destruirás completamente: al heteo, al amorreo, al cananeo, al ferezeo, al heveo y al jebuseo, como Jehová 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 han hecho para sus dioses, y pequéis contra Jehová 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 sities alguna ciudad, peleando contra ella muchos días para tomarla, no destruirás sus árboles metiendo hacha en ellos, sino que te alimentarás de ellos sin talarlos, porque el árbol del campo no es hombre para venir contra ti en el sitio.

“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 sepas que no es frutal, podrás destruirlo y talarlo, para construir baluarte contra la ciudad que te hace la guerra, 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.