Deuteronomy 20
Before battle, priests encourage the army not to fear. When besieging distant cities, peace terms must first be offered. Fruit trees must not be cut down during siege.
DeuteronomyChapter 20 of 3420 versesBerean Standard Bible
Read Deuteronomy 20 and keep notes on it in Doxa's Daily Faith Steps.
When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you.
When you are about to go into battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army,
saying to them, “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be alarmed or terrified because of them.
For the LORD your God goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”
Furthermore, the officers are to address the army, saying, “Has any man built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man dedicate it.
Has any man planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy its fruit? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man enjoy its fruit.
Has any man become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man marry her.”
Then the officers shall speak further to the army, saying, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him return home, so that the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.”
When the officers have finished addressing the army, they are to appoint commanders to lead it.
When you approach a city to fight against it, you are to make an offer of peace.
If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates, all the people there will become forced laborers to serve you.
But if they refuse to make peace with you and wage war against you, lay siege to that city.
When the LORD your God has delivered it into your hand, you must put every male to the sword.
But the women, children, livestock, and whatever else is in the city—all its spoil—you may take as plunder, and you shall use the spoil of your enemies that the LORD your God gives you.
This is how you are to treat all the cities that are far away from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.
However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes.
For you must devote them to complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you,
so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God.
When you lay siege to a city for an extended time while fighting against it to capture it, you must not destroy its trees by putting an axe to them, because you can eat their fruit. You must not cut them down. Are the trees of the field human, that you should besiege them?
But you may destroy the trees that you know do not produce fruit. Use them to build siege works against the city that is waging war against you, until it falls.
Read next
How to Hear God’s Voice: A Practical Guide for BelieversScripture is the record of a God who speaks. This guide covers how to hear Him today and keep what He says.Cross-references for Deuteronomy 20
Deuteronomy 20:12 Chronicles 32:7
““Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater One with us than with him.”
Deuteronomy 20:1Deuteronomy 31:8
“The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.””
“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.””
Deuteronomy 20:4Deuteronomy 1:30
“The LORD your God, who goes before you, will fight for you, just as you saw Him do for you in Egypt”
“Now, therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the men: ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand of them turned back, but ten thousand remained.”
Cross-references from OpenBible.info, licensed CC BY.
Have a question about Deuteronomy 20?
On Doxa, you can have a personal interaction about any scripture. Ask questions, explore context, and discover connections.
Real stories about these themes
Read testimonies from real people connected to what you're reading.
Explore Related Topics
Keep notes on Deuteronomy 20
In the Doxa app, a note on any verse is kept as a step in Daily Faith Steps and shows beside that verse each time you read it again, in any translation.
