Deuteronomy20

Deuteronomy 20 outlines the laws of warfare for Israel, emphasizing divine assurance in battle and specific exemptions for those who have recently built a house, planted a vineyard, betrothed a wife, or are fainthearted. It distinguishes between engaging distant cities, where peace may be offered, and the cities of the Canaanite nations, which are to be utterly destroyed. The chapter also includes a command to preserve fruit trees during a siege.

Preparation and Divine Assurance in War

1
When thou shalt go forth to warre against thine enemies, and shalt see horses and charets, and people moe then thou, be not afrayde of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt.
2
And when ye are come neere vnto the battel, then the Priest shall come forth to speake vnto the people,
3
And shall say vnto them, Heare, O Israel: ye are come this day vnto battell against your enemies: let not your heartes faynt, neither feare, nor be amased, nor adread of them.
4
For ye Lord your God goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, and to saue you

Exemptions from Military Service

5
And let the officers speake vnto the people, saying, What man is there that hath buylt a new house, and hath not dedicate it? let him go and returne to his house, least he dye in the battel, and an other man dedicate it.
6
And what man is there that hath planted a vineyarde, and hath not eaten of the fruite? let him go and returne againe vnto his house, least he die in the battel, and another eate the fruite.
7
And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and returne againe vnto his house, lest he die in the battell, and another man take her.
8
And let the officers speake further vnto the people, and say, Whosoeuer is afrayde and faynt hearted, let him go and returne vnto his house, least his brethrens heart faynt like his heart.
9
And after that the officers haue made an ende of speaking vnto the people, they shall make captaines of the armie to gouerne the people.

Rules for Engaging Distant Cities

10
When thou commest neere vnto a citie to fight against it, thou shalt offer it peace.
11
And if it answere thee againe peaceably, and open vnto thee, then let all the people that is founde therein, be tributaries vnto thee, and serue thee.
12
But if it will make no peace with thee, but make war against thee, then shalt thou besiege it.
13
And the Lord thy God shall deliuer it into thine handes, and thou shalt smite all the males thereof with the edge of the sworde.
14
Onely the women, and the children, and the cattel, and all that is in the citie, euen all the spoyle thereof shalt thou take vnto thy selfe, and shalt eate the spoyle of thine enemies, which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee.
15
Thus shalt thou do vnto all ye cities, which are a great way off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations here.

The Law of Utter Destruction (Herem)

16
But of the cities of this people, which the Lord thy God shall giue thee to inherite, thou shalt saue no person aliue,
17
But shalt vtterly destroy them: to wit, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hiuites, and the Iebusites, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee,
18
That they teache you not to doe after all their abominations, which they haue done vnto their gods, and so ye should sinne against the Lord your God.

Rules Regarding Siege Warfare and Trees

19
When thou hast besieged a citie long time, and made warre against it to take it, destroy not the trees therof, by smiting an axe into them: for thou mayest eate of them: therfore thou shalt not cut them downe to further thee in the siege, (for the tree of the field is mans life)
20
Onely those trees, which thou knowest are not for meate, those shalt thou destroy and cut downe, and make fortes against the citie that maketh warre with thee, vntil thou subdue it.
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