 |  | Deuteronomy 20 |  |  |
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Laws of Warfare | ||||
 NASB | KJV | GWT | WEB | DBY |
| 1 "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, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you. | 1 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. | 1 When you go to war against your enemies, you may see horses, chariots, and armies larger than yours. Don't be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, will be with you. | 1 When you go forth to battle against your enemies, and see horses, and chariots, [and] a people more than you, you shall not be afraid of them; for Yahweh your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. | 1 When thou goest out to war against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and 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. | 2 "When you are approaching the battle, the priest shall come near and speak to the people. | 2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, | 2 Before the battle starts, a priest must come and speak to the troops. | 2 It shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people, | 2 And it shall be, when ye approach unto the battle, that the priest shall draw near and speak unto the people, | 3 "He shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, | 3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; | 3 He should tell them, "Listen, Israel, today you're going into battle against your enemies. Don't lose your courage! Don't be afraid or alarmed or tremble because of them. | 3 and shall tell them, "Hear, Israel, you draw near this day to battle against your enemies: don't let your heart faint; don't be afraid, nor tremble, neither be scared of them; | 3 and 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; | 4 for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.' | 4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. | 4 The LORD your God is going with you. He will fight for you against your enemies and give you victory." | 4 for Yahweh your God is he who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you." | 4 for Jehovah your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. | 5 "The officers also shall speak to the people, saying, 'Who is the man that has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would dedicate it. | 5 And 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 to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it. | 5 The officers should tell the troops, "If you have built a new house but not dedicated it, you may go home. Otherwise, you might die in battle, and someone else will dedicate it. | 5 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. | 5 And 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. | NASB | KJV | GWT | WEB | DBY |
| 6 'Who is the man that has planted a vineyard and has not begun to use its fruit? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would begin to use its fruit. | 6 And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it. | 6 If you have planted a vineyard and not enjoyed the grapes, you may go home. Otherwise, you might die in battle, and someone else will enjoy the grapes. | 6 What man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not used its fruit? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use its fruit. | 6 And 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. | 7 'And who is the man that is engaged to a woman and has not married her? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would marry her.' | 7 And 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. | 7 If you are engaged to a woman but have not married her, you may go home. Otherwise, you might die in battle, and someone else will marry her." | 7 What man is there who has pledged to be married a wife, and has not taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her." | 7 And 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. | 8 "Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, 'Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him depart and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers' hearts melt like his heart.' | 8 And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart. | 8 The officers should also tell the troops, "If you are afraid or have lost your courage, you may go home. Then you won't ruin the morale of the other Israelites." | 8 The officers shall speak further to the people, and they shall say, "What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest his brother's heart melt as his heart." | 8 And 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. | 9 "When the officers have finished speaking to the people, they shall appoint commanders of armies at the head of the people. | 9 And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people. | 9 When the officers finish speaking to the troops, they should appoint commanders to lead them. | 9 It shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking to the people, that they shall appoint captains of armies at the head of the people. | 9 And 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. | 10 "When you approach a city to fight against it, you shall offer it terms of peace. | 10 When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. | 10 When you approach a city to attack it, offer its people a peaceful way to surrender. | 10 When you draw near to a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace to it. | 10 When thou approachest unto a city to fight against it, thou shalt proclaim peace unto it. | NASB | KJV | GWT | WEB | DBY |
| 11 "If it agrees to make peace with you and opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall become your forced labor and shall serve you. | 11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee. | 11 If they accept it and open [their gates] to you, then all the people there will be made to do forced labor and serve you. | 11 It shall be, if it makes you answer of peace, and opens to you, then it shall be, that all the people who are found therein shall become tributary to you, and shall serve you. | 11 And 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. | 12 "However, if it does not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it. | 12 And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it: | 12 If they won't accept your offer of peace but declare war on you, set up a blockade around the city. | 12 If it will make no peace with you, but will make war against you, then you shall besiege it: | 12 And if it will not make peace with thee, but will make war with thee, then thou shalt besiege it; | 13 "When the LORD your God gives it into your hand, you shall strike all the men in it with the edge of the sword. | 13 And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword: | 13 When the LORD your God hands the city over to you, kill every man in that city with your swords. | 13 and when Yahweh your God delivers it into your hand, you shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword: | 13 and when Jehovah thy God delivereth it into thy hand, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword: | 14 "Only the women and the children and the animals and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as booty for yourself; and you shall use the spoil of your enemies which the LORD your God has given you. | 14 But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee. | 14 But take the women and children, the cattle and everything else in the city, including all its goods, as your loot. You may enjoy your enemies' goods that the LORD your God has given you. | 14 but the women, and the little ones, and the livestock, and all that is in the city, even all its spoil, you shall take for a prey to yourself; and you shall eat the spoil of your enemies, which Yahweh your God has given you. | 14 only 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 | 15 "Thus you shall do to all the cities that are very far from you, which are not of the cities of these nations nearby. | 15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations. | 15 This is what you must do to all the cities that are far away which don't belong to the nations nearby. | 15 Thus you shall do to all the cities which are very far off from you, which are not of the cities of these nations. | 15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities that are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations. | NASB | KJV | GWT | WEB | DBY |
| 16 "Only in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you shall not leave alive anything that breathes. | 16 But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: | 16 However, you must not spare anyone's life in the cities of these nations that the LORD your God is giving you as your property. | 16 But of the cities of these peoples, that Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes; | 16 But of the cities of these peoples which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth, | 17 "But you shall utterly destroy them, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite and the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, as the LORD your God has commanded you, | 17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee: | 17 You must claim the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites for the LORD and completely destroy them, as the LORD your God has commanded you. | 17 but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; as Yahweh your God has commanded you; | 17 but 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; | 18 so that they may not teach you to do according to all their detestable things which they have done for their gods, so that you would sin against the LORD your God. | 18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God. | 18 Otherwise, they will teach you to do all the disgusting things they do for their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God. | 18 that they not teach you to do after all their abominations, which they have done to their gods; so would you sin against Yahweh your God. | 18 that 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. | 19 "When you besiege a city a long time, to make war against it in order to capture it, you shall not destroy its trees by swinging an axe against them; for you may eat from them, and you shall not cut them down. For is the tree of the field a man, that it should be besieged by you? | 19 When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege: | 19 This is what you must do whenever you blockade a city for a long time in order to capture it in war. Don't harm any of its fruit trees with an ax. You can eat the fruit. Never cut those trees down, because the trees of the field are not people you have come to blockade. | 19 When you shall besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them; for you may eat of them, and you shall not cut them down; for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged of you? | 19 When 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? | 20 "Only the trees which you know are not fruit trees you shall destroy and cut down, that you may construct siegeworks against the city that is making war with you until it falls. | 20 Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued. | 20 You may destroy trees that you know are not fruit trees. You may cut them down and use them in your blockade until you capture the city. | 20 Only the trees of which you know that they are not trees for food, you shall destroy and cut them down; and you shall build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until it fall. | 20 Only 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. |
<< Deuteronomy 20 >> New American Standard Bible Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. GOD'S WORD is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. The World English Bible is a 1997 revision of the American Standard Version of the Holy Bible, first published in 1901. It is in the Public Domain. Please feel free to copy and distribute it freely. Thank you to Michael Paul Johnson for making this work available. For the latest information, to report corrections, or for other correspondence, visit www.ebible.org. | ||||