Shēnméngjì 20

1 Nǐ chū qù yǔ chóudí zhēng zhàn de shíhou , kànjian mǎ pǐ , chēliàng , bìng yǒu bǐ nǐ duō de rénmín , búyào pà tāmen , yīnwei lǐng nǐ chū Āijí dì de Yēhéhuá nǐ shén yǔ nǐ tóng zaì .

2 Nǐmen jiāngyào shàng zhèn de shíhou , jìsī yào dào bǎixìng miànqián xuāngào ,

3 Shuō , Yǐsèliè rén nǎ , nǐmen dàng tīng , nǐmen jīnrì jiāngyào yǔ chóudí zhēng zhàn , búyào dǎnqiè , búyào jùpà zhàn jīng , yĕ búyào yīn tāmen jīngkǒng .

4 Yīnwei Yēhéhuá nǐmen de shén yǔ nǐmen tóng qù , yào wéi nǐmen yǔ chóudí zhēng zhàn , zhĕngjiù nǐmen .

5 Guān zhǎng yĕ yào duì bǎixìng xuāngào shuō , shuí jiànzào fángwū , shàng wèi fèng xiàn , tā kĕyǐ huí jia qù , kǒngpà tā zhèn wáng , biérén qù fèng xiàn .

6 Shuí zhòng pútaóyuán , shàng wèi yòng suǒ jié de guǒzi , tā kĕyǐ huí jia qù , kǒngpà tā zhèn wáng , biérén qù yòng .

7 Shuí pìn déng le qī , shàng wèi yíng qǔ , tā kĕyǐ huí jia qù , kǒngpà tā zhèn wáng , biérén qù qǔ .

8 Guān zhǎng yòu yào duì bǎixìng xuāngào shuō , shuí jùpà dǎnqiè , tā kĕyǐ huí jia qù , kǒngpà tā dìxiōng de xīn xiāohuà , hé tā yíyàng .

9 Guān zhǎng duì bǎixìng xuāngào wán le , jiù dàng paì jūnzhǎng shuaìlǐng tāmen .

10 Nǐ línjìn yī zuò chéng , yào gōngdǎ de shíhou , xiān yào duì chéng lǐ de mín xuāngào hémù de huà .

11 Tāmen ruò yǐ hémù de huà huídá nǐ , gĕi nǐ kāi le chéng , chéng lǐ suǒyǒude rén dōu yào gĕi nǐ xiào laó , fúshì nǐ .

12 Ruò bú kĕn yǔ nǐ héhǎo , fǎn yào yǔ nǐ dǎzhàng , nǐ jiù yào wéi kùn nà chéng .

13 Yēhéhuá nǐde shén bǎ chéng jiāofù nǐ shǒu , nǐ jiù yào yòng dāo shā jìn zhè chéng de nán dīng .

14 Wéiyǒu fùnǚ , háizi , shēngchù , hé chéng neì yīqiè de cáiwù , nǐ kĕyǐ qǔ wéi zìjǐ de lüè wù . Yēhéhuá nǐ shén bǎ nǐ chóudí de cáiwù cìgĕi nǐ , nǐ kĕyǐ chī yòng .

15 Lí nǐ shén yuǎn de gè chéng , bú shì zhèxie guó mín de chéng , nǐ dōu yào zhèyàng daì tā .

16 Dàn zhèxie guó mín de chéng , Yēhéhuá nǐ shén jì cì nǐ wéi yè , qízhōng fán yǒu qìxī de , yī gè bùkĕ cún liú .

17 Zhǐyào zhào Yēhéhuá nǐ shén suǒ fēnfu de jiāng zhè Hèrén , Yàmólìrén , Jiānán rén , Bǐlìxǐrén , Xīwèirén , Yēbùsīrén dōu mièjué jìng jìn ,

18 Miǎndé tāmen jiàodǎo nǐmen xuéxí yīqiè kè zēngwù de shì , jiù shì tāmen xiàng zìjǐ shén suǒ xíng de , yǐzhì nǐmen de zuì Yēhéhuá nǐmen de shén .

19 Nǐ ruò xǔjiǔ wéi kùn , gōngdǎ suǒ yào qǔ de yī zuò chéng , jiù bùkĕ jǔ fǔzi kǎn huaì shùmù . yīnwei nǐ kĕyǐ chī nà shù shàng de guǒzi , bùkĕ kǎn fá . tiánjiān de shùmù qǐ shì rén , jiào nǐ zāota ma ,

20 Wéidú nǐ suǒ zhīdào bú shì jié guǒzi de shùmù kĕyǐ huǐhuaì , kǎn fá , yòng yǐ xiū zhú yíng lĕi , gōngjī nà yǔ nǐ dǎzhàng de chéng , zhídào gōng tā le .

Shēnméngjì 20 Commentary

Chapter 20

Exhortation and proclamation respecting those who went to war. (1-9) Peace to be offered, What cities were to be devoted. (10-20)

Verses 1-9 In the wars wherein Israel engaged according to the will of God, they might expect the Divine assistance. The Lord was to be their only confidence. In these respects they were types of the Christian's warfare. Those unwilling to fight, must be sent away. The unwillingness might arise from a man's outward condition. God would not be served by men forced against their will. Thy people shall be willing, ( Psalms 110:3 ) . In running the Christian race, and fighting the good fight of faith, we must lay aside all that would make us unwilling. If a man's unwillingness rose from weakness and fear, he had leave to return from the war. The reason here given is, lest his brethren's heart fail as well as his heart. We must take heed that we fear not with the fear of them that are afraid, Isa. 8:12 .

Verses 10-12 The Israelites are here directed about the nations on whom they made war. Let this show God's grace in dealing with sinners. He proclaims peace, and beseeches them to be reconciled. Let it also show us our duty in dealing with our brethren. Whoever are for war, we must be for peace. Of the cities given to Israel, none of their inhabitants must be left. Since it could not be expected that they should be cured of their idolatry, they would hurt Israel. These regulations are not the rules of our conduct, but Christ's law of love. The horrors of war must fill the feeling heart with anguish upon every recollection; and are proofs of the wickedness of man, the power of Satan, and the just vengeance of God, who thus scourges a guilty world. But how dreadful their case who are engaged in unequal conflict with their Maker, who will not submit to render him the easy tribute of worship and praise! Certain ruin awaits them. Let neither the number nor the power of the enemies of our souls dismay us; nor let even our own weakness cause us to tremble or to faint. The Lord will save us; but in this war let none engage whose hearts are fond of the world, or afraid of the cross and the conflict. Care is here taken that in besieging cities the fruit-trees should not be destroyed. God is a better friend to man than he is to himself; and God's law consults our interests and comforts; while our own appetites and passions, which we indulge, are enemies to our welfare. Many of the Divine precepts restrain us from destroying that which is for our life and food. The Jews understand this as forbidding all wilful waste upon any account whatsoever. Every creature of God is good; as nothing is to be refused, so nothing is to be abused. We may live to want what we carelessly waste.

Chapter Summary

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.