Deuteronomy 20:12-20

12 But and yf they will make no peace with the, then make warre agenste the citie and besege it.

13 And when the Lord thy God hath delyuered it in to thine handes, smyte all the males thereof with the edge of the swerde,

14 saue the weme and the childern and the catell and all that is in the citie and all the spoyle thereof take vnto thy selfe and eate the spoyle of thyne enemies which the Lord thy God geueth the.

15 Thus thou shalt doo vnto all the cities whiche are a greate waye of from the ad not of the cities of these nacions.

16 But in the cities of these nacions which the Lorde thy God geueth the to enheret, thou shalt saue alyue nothinge that bretheth.

17 But shalt destroye them with out redempcion, both the Hethites, the Amorites, the Cananites, the Pherezites, the Heuites and the Iebusites, as the Lorde thy God hath commaunded the,

18 that they teach you not to doo after all their abhominacyons whiche they doo vnto theire goddes, and so shulde synne agenst the Lorde youre God

19 When thou hast beseged a citie longe tyme in makinge warre agenst it to take it. destroye not the trees thereof, that thou woldest thrust an axe vnto them. For thou mayst eate of the, and therfore destroye them not. For the trees of the feldes are no men, that they myght come agenst the to besege the.

20 Neuerthelater those trees which thou knowest that me eate not of them, thou maist destroye and cutte them doune and make bolwerkes agenst the citie that maketh warre with the, vntyll it be ouerthrowne.

Deuteronomy 20:12-20 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.