Deuteronomy 20

DOUAI-RHEIMS	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 If thou go out to war against thy enemies, and see horsemen and chariots, and the numbers of the enemy's army greater than thine, thou shalt not fear them: because the Lord thy God is with thee, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt.	1 "When you go forth to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
2 And when the battle is now at hand, the priest shall stand before the army, and shall speak to the people in this manner:	2 And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people,
3 Hear, O Israel, you join battle this day against your enemies, let not your heart be dismayed, be not afraid, do not give back, fear ye them not:	3 and shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel, you draw near this day to battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint; do not fear, or tremble, or be in dread of them;
4 Because the Lord your God is in the midst of you, and will fight for you against your enemies, to deliver you from danger.	4 for the LORD your God is he that goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.'
5 And the captains shall proclaim through every band in the hearing of the army: 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 Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying, 'What man is there that has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.
6 What man is there, that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not as yet made it to be common, whereof all men may eat? let him go, and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man execute his office.	6 And what man is there that has planted a vineyard and has not enjoyed its fruit? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man enjoy its fruit.
7 What man is there, that hath espoused a wife, and not taken her? let him go, and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man take her.	7 And what man is there that has betrothed a wife and has not taken her? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take her.'
8 After these things are declared they shall add the rest, and shall speak to the people: What man is there that is fearful, and faint hearted? let him go, and return to his house, lest he make the hearts of his brethren to fear, as he himself is possessed with fear.	8 And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest the heart of his fellows melt as his heart.'
9 And when the captains of the army shall hold their peace, and have made an end of speaking, every man shall prepare their bands to fight.	9 And when the officers have made an end of speaking to the people, then commanders shall be appointed at the head of the people.
10 If at any time thou come to fight against a city, thou shalt first offer it peace.	10 "When you draw near to a city to fight against it, offer terms of peace to it.
11 If they receive it, and open the gates to thee, all the people that are therein, shall be saved, and shall serve thee paying tribute.	11 And if its answer to you is peace and it opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall do forced labor for you and shall serve you.
12 But if they will not make peace, and shall begin war against thee, thou shalt besiege it.	12 But if it makes no peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it;
13 And when the Lord thy God shall deliver it into thy bands, thou shalt slay all that are therein of the male sex, with the edge of the sword,	13 and when the LORD your God gives it into your hand you shall put all its males to the sword,
14 Excepting women and children, cattle and other things, that are in the city. And thou shalt divide all the prey to the army, and thou shalt eat the spoils of thy enemies, which the Lord thy God shall give thee.	14 but the women and the little ones, the cattle, and everything else in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as booty for yourselves; and you shall enjoy the spoil of your enemies, which the LORD your God has given you.
15 So shalt thou do to all cities that are at a great distance from thee, and are not of these cities which thou shalt receive in possession.	15 Thus you shall do to all the cities which are very far from you, which are not cities of the nations here.
16 But of those cities that shall be given thee, thou shalt suffer none at all to live:	16 But in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes,
17 But shalt kill them with the edge of the sword, to wit, the Hethite, and the Amorrhite, and the Chanaanite, the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee:	17 but you shall utterly destroy them, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the LORD your God has commanded;
18 Lest they teach you to do all the abominations which they have done to their gods: and you should sin against the Lord your God.	18 that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices which they have done in the service of their gods, and so to sin against the LORD your God.
19 When thou hast besieged a city a long time, and hath compassed it with bulwarks to take it, thou shalt not cut down the trees that may be eaten of, neither shalt thou spoil the country round about with axes: for it is a tree, and not a man, neither can it increase the number of them that fight against thee.	19 "When you besiege a city for a long time, making war against it in order to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them; for you may eat of them, but you shall not cut them down. Are the trees in the field men that they should be besieged by you?
20 But if there be any trees that are not fruitful, but wild, and fit for other uses, cut them down, and make engines, until thou take the city, which fighteth against thee.	20 Only the trees which you know are not trees for food you may destroy and cut down that you may build siegeworks against the city that makes war with you, until it falls.