Deuteronomy 20:10-12

10 "When you approach a city to fight against it, you shall offer it terms of peace.

11 "If it agrees to make peace with you and opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall become your ¹forced labor and shall serve you.

12 "However, if it does not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it.

Deuteronomy 20:10-12 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

• 1. 1 Kings 9:21

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "call to it for peace"
• [b] Lit "answers peace"