Deuteronomy:20

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* When you go out to battle against your enemies , and see horses and chariots , a people more than you , you shall not be afraid of them . For Jehovah your God is with you , who brought you up out of the land of Egypt . * And it shall be , when you draw near to battle , the priest shall come and speak to the people , * and say to them . Hear , Israel , you are drawing near today to battle against your enemies . Do not let your heart be faint ; do not fear nor tremble , nor be terrified before their faces . * For Jehovah your God is He who is going before you , to fight for you with your enemies , to save you . * And the officers shall speak to the people , saying , who is the man that has built a new house , and has not dedicated it ? Let him go and return to his house , that he not die in battle and another man dedicate it . * And who is the man that has planted a vineyard , and has not used its fruit ? Let him go and return to his house , that he not die in battle , and another man use its fruit . * And who is the man who has betrothed a woman , and has not taken her ? Let him go and return to his house , that he not die in the battle , and another man take her . * And the officers shall speak further to the people , and say , Who is the man who is afraid , and faint of heart ? Let him go and return to his house ; then the heart of his brothers will not melt like his heart . * And it shall be , when the officers have finished speaking to the people , commanders of the armies shall be appointed at the head of the people . * When you come near a city to fight against it , then call to it for peace . * And it shall be , if it answers peace to you , and shall open to you , then it shall be that all the people found in it shall be forced laborers for you , and shall serve you . * And if it shall not make peace with you , and shall make war with you , then you shall lay siege against it . * And Jehovah your God shall give it into your hand ; and you shall strike every male of it by the mouth of the sword . * Only , the women , and the little ones , and the livestock , and all in the city , all its plunder , you shall seize for yourself . And you shall eat the plunder of your enemies which Jehovah your God has given to you . * So you shall do to all the cities very far away from you , which are not of the cities of these nations . * But of the cities of these peoples which Jehovah your God is giving to you as an inheritance , you shall not keep alive any that breathes . * But you shall utterly destroy them the Hittites , and the Amorites , the Canaanites , and the Perizzites , the Hivites , and the Jebusites , as Jehovah your God has commanded you ; * so that they may not teach you to do according to all their filthy deeds which they have done for their gods ; and you would sin against Jehovah your God . * When you shall lay siege to a city many days , to fight against it , to capture it , you shall not destroy its trees in order to force an axe against them . For you shall eat of them , and you shall not cut them down , for is the tree of the field a man that it should be used by you to lay siege ? * Only the tree which you know not to be a fruit tree , you may destroy it , and may cut it down , and may build a bulwark against the city making war with you , until you have subdued it .

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