Thematic Bible
Deuteronomy 20:1 (show verse)
“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.
Armies » March in ranks » Exhorted before battle
God » Presence of » Gives courage in life's battles
divine Presence » Comfort » Gives courage in life's battles
priests » Services of » Encouraging the people when they went to war
Protection » Is vouchsafed to saints in » Defending them against their enemies
God » Presence of » Gives courage in life's battles
divine Presence » Comfort » Gives courage in life's battles
priests » Services of » Encouraging the people when they went to war
Protection » Is vouchsafed to saints in » Defending them against their enemies
Deuteronomy 20:2 (show verse)
When you are about to engage in battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army.
Deuteronomy 20:3 (show verse)
He is to say to them: ‘Listen, Israel: Today you are about to engage in battle with your enemies. Do not be cowardly. Do not be afraid, alarmed, or terrified because of them.
Deuteronomy 20:4 (show verse)
For the Lord your God is the One who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.’
Deuteronomy 20:5 (show verse)
“The officers are to address the army, ‘Has any man built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him leave and return home. Otherwise, he may die in battle and another man dedicate it.
Deuteronomy 20:6 (show verse)
Has any man planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy its fruit? Let him leave and return home. Otherwise he may die in battle and another man enjoy its fruit.
Agriculture » Planters of vineyards, exempted from military service
Armies » Who were exempt from service in
Armies » March in ranks » Exhorted before battle
the Armies of israel » Persons exempted from serving in » Who had planted a vineyard
Soldiers » Others exempt from service
Vineyards » Laws respecting » Planters of, not liable to military service till they had eaten of the fruit
Armies » Who were exempt from service in
Armies » March in ranks » Exhorted before battle
the Armies of israel » Persons exempted from serving in » Who had planted a vineyard
Soldiers » Others exempt from service
Vineyards » Laws respecting » Planters of, not liable to military service till they had eaten of the fruit
Deuteronomy 20:7 (show verse)
Has any man become engaged to a woman and not married her? Let him leave and return home. Otherwise he may die in battle and another man marry her.’
Armies » Who were exempt from service in
Armies » March in ranks » Exhorted before battle
the Armies of israel » Persons exempted from serving in » Who were lately betrothed
Betrothal » Exempts from military duty
Betrothals » Special privileges of the betrothed
Home » Betrothals » Special privileges of the betrothed
Marriage » The jews » Betrothed themselves some time before
Marriage » The jews » Exempted from going to war immediately after
Soldiers » Others exempt from service
Armies » March in ranks » Exhorted before battle
the Armies of israel » Persons exempted from serving in » Who were lately betrothed
Betrothal » Exempts from military duty
Betrothals » Special privileges of the betrothed
Home » Betrothals » Special privileges of the betrothed
Marriage » The jews » Betrothed themselves some time before
Marriage » The jews » Exempted from going to war immediately after
Soldiers » Others exempt from service
Deuteronomy 20:8 (show verse)
The officers will continue to address the army and say, ‘Is there any man who is afraid or cowardly? Let him leave and return home, so that his brothers’ hearts won’t melt like his own.’
Deuteronomy 20:9 (show verse)
When the officers have finished addressing the army, they will appoint military commanders to lead it.
Deuteronomy 20:10 (show verse)
“When you approach a city to fight against it, you must make an offer of peace.
Deuteronomy 20:11 (show verse)
If it accepts your offer of peace and opens its gates to you, all the people found in it will become forced laborers for you and serve you.
Deuteronomy 20:12 (show verse)
However, if it does not make peace with you but wages war against you, lay siege to it.
Deuteronomy 20:13 (show verse)
When the Lord your God hands it over to you, you must strike down all its males with the sword.
Deuteronomy 20:14 (show verse)
But you may take the women, children, animals, and whatever else is in the city—all its spoil—as plunder. You may enjoy the spoil of your enemies that the Lord your God has given you.
Deuteronomy 20:15 (show verse)
This is how you are to treat all the cities that are far away from you and are not among the cities of these nations.
Deuteronomy 20:16 (show verse)
However, you must not let any living thing survive among the cities of these people the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
Deuteronomy 20:17 (show verse)
You must completely destroy them—the Hittite, Amorite, Canaanite, Perizzite, Hivite, and Jebusite—as the Lord your God has commanded you,
Amorites » Judgments denounced against
the Amorites » Doomed to utter destruction
Canaan, land of » Miscellaneous topics » Wars of extermination waged against early inhabitants of
Extermination » Wars of extermination waged against early inhabitants of
Hivites » Their land given to the israelites
Jebusites » Land of, given to abraham and his descendants
Perizzites » Doomed to destruction
War » Of extermination
the Amorites » Doomed to utter destruction
Canaan, land of » Miscellaneous topics » Wars of extermination waged against early inhabitants of
Extermination » Wars of extermination waged against early inhabitants of
Hivites » Their land given to the israelites
Jebusites » Land of, given to abraham and his descendants
Perizzites » Doomed to destruction
War » Of extermination
Deuteronomy 20:18 (show verse)
so that they won’t teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and you sin against the Lord your God.
Deuteronomy 20:19 (show verse)
“When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it in order to capture it, you must not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can get food from them. You must not cut them down. Are trees of the field human, to come under siege by you?
Fort » Field fortifications
Fruit trees » Care for
Siege » Conducted by erecting embankments parallel to the walls of the besieged city
Sieges » The jews forbidden to cut down fruit trees for the purpose of
Trees » Laws concerning
Trees » The jews » Prohibited from cutting down fruit-bearing, for sieges
Fruit trees » Care for
Siege » Conducted by erecting embankments parallel to the walls of the besieged city
Sieges » The jews forbidden to cut down fruit trees for the purpose of
Trees » Laws concerning
Trees » The jews » Prohibited from cutting down fruit-bearing, for sieges
Deuteronomy 20:20 (show verse)
But you may destroy the trees that you know do not produce food. You may cut them down to build siege works against the city that is waging war against you, until it falls.