Deuteronomy 20

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
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 out to war against your enemies and you see horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid of them, for the LORD, your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, will be with you.
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 "When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and say to the soldiers:
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 'Hear, O Israel! Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Be not weakhearted or afraid; be neither alarmed nor frightened by 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 it is the LORD, your God, who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies and give you 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 officials shall say to the soldiers, 'Is there anyone who has built a new house and not yet had the housewarming? Let him return home, lest he die in battle and another 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 Is there anyone who has planted a vineyard and never yet enjoyed its fruits? Let him return home, lest he die in battle and another enjoy its fruits in his stead.
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 Is there anyone who has betrothed a woman and not yet taken her as his wife? Let him return home, lest he die in battle and another take her to wife.'
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 In fine, the officials shall say to the soldiers, 'Is there anyone who is afraid and weakhearted? Let him return home, lest he make his fellows as fainthearted as himself.'
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 "When the officials have finished speaking to the soldiers, military officers shall be appointed over the army.
10 If at any time thou come to fight against a city, thou shalt first offer it peace.	10 "When you march up to attack a city, first offer it terms of peace.
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 If it agrees to your terms of peace and opens its gates to you, all the people to be found in it shall serve you in forced labor.
12 But if they will not make peace, and shall begin war against thee, thou shalt besiege it.	12 But if it refuses to make peace with you and instead offers you battle, lay siege to 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, delivers it into your hand, put every male in it 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 children and livestock and all else in it that is worth plundering you may take as your booty, and you may use this plunder 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 "That is how you shall deal with any city at a considerable distance from you, which does not belong to the peoples of this land.
16 But of those cities that shall be given thee, thou shalt suffer none at all to live:	16 But in the cities of those nations which the LORD, your God, is giving you as your heritage, you shall not leave a single soul alive.
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 You must doom them all-the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites-as the LORD, your God, has commanded you,
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 lest they teach you to make any such abominable offerings as they make to their gods, and you thus 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 are at war with a city and have to lay siege to it for a long time before you capture it, you shall not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them. You may eat their fruit, but you must not cut down the trees. After all, are the trees of the field men, that they should be included in your siege?
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 However, those trees which you know are not fruit trees you may destroy, cutting them down to build siegeworks with which to reduce the city that is resisting you.