Deuteronomy 20:10-16

10 When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace.
11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you.
12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city.
13 When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it.
14 As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the LORD your God gives you from your enemies.
15 This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.
16 However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes.

Deuteronomy 20:10-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 20

In this chapter rules are given to be observed in times of war. When a battle was near, a priest was to address the soldiers, and encourage them to fight, De 20:1-4, then the officers were to declare who might return home, De 20:5-9 when an enemy's city was approached, peace was to be proclaimed on certain conditions, which, if accepted of, the inhabitants were to be tributaries and servants, but if not, when taken, all were to be put to the sword, excepting women, children, and cattle, De 20:10-15, but those of the seven nations were to be utterly destroyed, De 20:16-18, and, during a siege, no trees bearing fruit fit for food were to be cut down, De 20:19.

Cross References 9

  • 1. S Deuteronomy 2:26; Luke 14:31-32
  • 2. ver 15; 2 Kings 6:22
  • 3. 1 Kings 9:21; 1 Chronicles 22:2; Isaiah 31:8
  • 4. Numbers 31:7
  • 5. Joshua 8:2; Joshua 22:8
  • 6. S Numbers 31:11
  • 7. S Numbers 31:53
  • 8. S ver 11; Joshua 9:9
  • 9. Exodus 23:31-33; Numbers 21:2-3; S Deuteronomy 7:2; Joshua 6:21; Joshua 10:1; Joshua 11:14
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.