The priest's exhortation to encourage the people to battle.

1 ¶ When² thou goest outºª to battleº against² thine enemies,ºª and seestºª horses,º and chariots,º [and] a peopleº moreº than² thou, be not afraidºª² of² them: for² the LORDº thy Godº [is] with² thee, which brought thee upºª out of the landº² of Egypt.º 2 And it shall be,² when ye are come nighºª unto² the battle,º that the priestº shall approachºª and speakºª unto² the people,º 3 And shall sayºª unto² them, Hear,ºª O Israel,º ye² approachº this dayº unto battleº against² your enemies:ºª let not² your heartsº faint,ºª fearºª not,² and do not² tremble,ºª neither² be ye terrifiedºª because¹ of²² them; 4 For² the LORDº your Godº [is] he that goethºª with² you, to fightºª for you against² your enemies,ºª to saveºª you.

The officers' proclamation who are to be dismissed from the war.

5 ¶ And the officersºª shall speakºª unto² the people,º saying,ºª What² manº [is there] that² hath builtºª a newº house,º and hath not² dedicatedºª it? let him go¹ª² and returnºª to his house,º lest² he dieºª in the battle,º and anotherº manº dedicateºª it. 6 And what² manº [is he] that² hath plantedºª a vineyard,º and hath not² [yet] eatenºª of it? let him [also] go¹ª² and returnºª unto his house,º lest² he dieºª in the battle,º and anotherº manº eatºª of it. 7 And what² manº [is there] that² hath betrothedºª a wife,º and hath not² takenºª her? let him go¹ª² and returnºª unto his house,º lest² he dieºª in the battle,º and anotherº manº takeºª her. 8 And the officersºª shall speakºª furtherºª unto² the people,º and they shall say,ºª What² manº [is there that is] fearfulº and fainthearted?ºº let him go¹ª² and returnºª unto his house,º lest²² his brethren'sº heartº faintºª as well as his heart.º 9 And it shall be,² when the officersºª have made an endºª of speakingºª unto² the people,º that they shall makeºª captainsº of the armiesº to leadº the people.º

How to use the cities that accept or refuse the proclamation of peace.

10 ¶ When² thou comest nighºª unto² a cityº to fightºª against² it, then proclaimºª peaceº unto² it. 11 And it shall be,² if² it make thee answerºª of peace,º and openºª unto thee, then it shall be,² [that] all² the peopleº [that is] foundºª therein shall be² tributariesº unto thee, and they shall serveºª thee. 12 And if² it will make no peaceºª² with² thee, but will makeºª warº against² thee, then thou shalt besiegeºª² it: 13 And when the LORDº thy Godº hath deliveredºª it into thine hands,º thou shalt smiteºª² every² maleº thereof with the edgeº of the sword:º 14 But² the women,º and the little ones,º and the cattle,º and all² that² is² in the city,º [even] all² the spoilº thereof, shalt thou takeºª unto thyself; and thou shalt eatºª² the spoilº of thine enemies,ºª which² the LORDº thy Godº hath givenºª thee. 15 Thus² shalt thou doºª unto all² the citiesº [which are] veryº far offº from² thee, which¹² [are] not² of the citiesº² of these² nations.º

What cities must be devoted.

16 But² of the citiesº² of these² people,º which² the LORDº thy Godº doth giveºª thee [for] an inheritance,º thou shalt save aliveºª nothing²² that breatheth:º 17 But² thou shalt utterly¹ª destroyºª them; [namely], the Hittites,º and the Amorites,º the Canaanites,º and the Perizzites,º the Hivites,º and the Jebusites;º as² the LORDº thy Godº hath commandedºª thee: 18 That²² they teachºª you not² to doºª after all² their abominations,º which² they have doneºª unto their gods;º so should ye sinºª against the LORDº your God.º

Trees of man's meat must not be destroyed in the siege.

19 ¶ When² thou shalt besiegeºª² a cityº a longº time,º in making warºª against² it to takeºª it, thou shalt not² destroyºª² the treesº thereof by forcingºª an axeº against² them: for² thou mayest eatºª of² them, and thou shalt not² cut them downºª² (for² the treeº of the fieldº [is] man'sº [life]) to employºª²² [them] in the siege:º¹ 20 Only² the treesº which² thou knowestºª that² they² [be] not² treesº for meat,º thou shalt destroyºª and cut them down;ºª and thou shalt buildºª bulwarksº against² the cityº that²² makethºª warº with² thee, until² it be subdued.ºª