1 'When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, you must not be afraid of them; Yahweh your God is with you, he who brought you out of Egypt.
2 When you are about to join battle, the priest must come forward and address the people.
3 He must say to them, "Listen, Israel: today you are about to join battle with your enemies. Do not be faint hearted. Let there be no fear or trembling or alarm as you face them.
4 Yahweh your God is marching with you, to fight your enemies for you and make you victorious."
5 'The scribes will then address the people, as follows: "Has anyone built a new house and not yet dedicated it? Let him go home, in case he dies in battle and someone else performs the dedication.
6 "Has anyone planted a vineyard and not yet enjoyed its fruit? Let him go home, in case he dies in battle and someone else enjoys its fruit.
7 "Has anyone contracted to marry a girl and not yet married her? Let him go home, in case he dies in battle and someone else marries her."
8 'Finally, the scribes will say to the people: "Is anyone frightened or faint hearted? Let him go home, in case he makes his brothers faint hearted too!"
9 'Then, when the scribes have finished speaking to the people, commanders will be appointed to lead them.
10 'When you advance on a town to attack it, first offer it peace-terms.
11 If it accepts these and opens its gates to you, all the people inside will owe you forced labour and work for you.
12 But if it refuses peace and gives battle, you must besiege it.
13 Yahweh your God having handed it over to you, you will put the whole male population to the sword.
14 But the women, children, livestock and whatever the town contains by way of spoil, you may take for yourselves as booty. You will feed on the spoils of the enemies whom Yahweh your God has handed over to you.
15 'That is how you will treat towns far away and not belonging to the nations near you.
16 But as regards the towns of those peoples whom Yahweh your God is giving you as your heritage, you must not spare the life of any living thing.
17 Instead, you must lay them under the curse of destruction: Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, as Yahweh your God has commanded,
18 so that they may not teach you to do all the detestable things which they do to honour their gods: in doing these, you would sin against Yahweh your God.
19 'If, when attacking a town, you have to besiege it for a long time before you capture it, you must not destroy its trees by taking the axe to them: eat their fruit but do not cut them down. Is the tree in the fields human, that you should besiege it too?
20 Any trees, however, which you know are not fruit trees, you may destroy and cut down and use to build siege-works against the hostile town until it falls.'
Versículos relacionados com Deuteronomy, 20:
Deuteronomy 20 talks about war laws for the Israelites. The chapter presents the instructions that must be followed when the people go to battle, including who can fight, how to prepare for war and what to do with captives and spoils. Below are five verses related to the topics addressed in Deuteronomy 20:
Psalm 144:1: "Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands to war, my fingers to battle." This verse highlights the importance of preparation for war, which is emphasized in Deuteronomy 20.
1 Samuel 17:47: "And all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save by the sword or the spear; for the battle is from the Lord, and He shall surrender all of you into our hands." This verse emphasizes that victory in war comes from God and not from the skills of the combatants, a theme present in Deuteronomy 20.
2 Kings 6:16: "Don't be afraid," he said, "those who are with us are more than those with them." This verse shows how God's confidence can help Israelites face challenges in war, how it is emphasized in Deuteronomy 20.
Proverbs 21:31: "The horse is prepared for battle day, but victory comes from the Lord." This verse emphasizes the importance of preparation for war, but also points out that victory comes from God, as it is emphasized in Deuteronomy 20.
2 Chronicles 20:15: "He said, Listen, all of you from Judah and Jerusalem! Do not be afraid or be discouraged because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but of God." This verse emphasizes that victory in war comes from God and not from the skills of the combatants, a theme present in Deuteronomy 20.
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