Laws of Warfare

1 כִּֽי־ (When) תֵצֵ֨א (you go out) לַמִּלְחָמָ֜ה (to battle) עַל־ (against) אֹיְבֶ֗יךָ (your enemies), וְֽרָאִ֜יתָ (and you see) ס֤וּס (horses) וָרֶ֙כֶב֙ (and chariots)— עַ֚ם (people) רַ֣ב (more numerous) מִמְּךָ֔ (than you)— לֹ֥א (not) תִירָ֖א (do be afraid) מֵהֶ֑ם (of them), כִּֽי־ (for) יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ (your God is) עִמָּ֔ךְ (with you), הַמַּֽעַלְךָ֖ (who brought you up) מֵאֶ֥רֶץ (out of the land) מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (of Egypt). 2 וְהָיָ֕ה (And it shall come to pass), כְּקָֽרָבְכֶ֖ם (in your⁺ drawing near) אֶל־ (to) הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה (the battle), וְנִגַּ֥שׁ (that shall approach) הַכֹּהֵ֖ן (the priest) וְדִבֶּ֥ר (and speak) אֶל־ (to) הָעָֽם׃ (the people), 3 וְאָמַ֤ר (and he shall say) אֲלֵהֶם֙ (to them) שְׁמַ֣ע (Hear), יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (O Israel), אַתֶּ֨ם (you⁺) קְרֵבִ֥ים (are drawing near) הַיּ֛וֹם (today) לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה (to battle) עַל־ (against) אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם (your⁺ enemies). אַל־ (Not) יֵרַ֣ךְ (do let be faint) לְבַבְכֶ֗ם (your⁺ hearts), אַל־ (not) תִּֽירְא֧וּ (do be afraid), וְאַֽל־ (and not) תַּחְפְּז֛וּ (do tremble), וְאַל־ (and not) תַּֽעַרְצ֖וּ (be terrified) מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם׃ (at their presence). 4 כִּ֚י (For) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם (your⁺ God is) הַהֹלֵ֖ךְ (He who goes) עִמָּכֶ֑ם (with you⁺) לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם (to fight) לָכֶ֛ם (for you⁺) עִם־ (against) אֹיְבֵיכֶ֖ם (your⁺ enemies), לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ (to save) אֶתְכֶֽם׃ (you⁺).

5 וְדִבְּר֣וּ (And shall speak) הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים֮ (the officers) אֶל־ (to) הָעָ֣ם (the people), לֵאמֹר֒ (saying), מִֽי־ (Who is) הָאִ֞ישׁ (the man) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (who) בָּנָ֤ה (has built) בַֽיִת־ (a house) חָדָשׁ֙ (new), וְלֹ֣א (and not) חֲנָכ֔וֹ (has dedicated it)? יֵלֵ֖ךְ (Let him go) וְיָשֹׁ֣ב (and return) לְבֵית֑וֹ (to his house), פֶּן־ (lest) יָמוּת֙ (he die) בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה (in the battle) וְאִ֥ישׁ (and man) אַחֵ֖ר (another) יַחְנְכֶֽנּוּ׃ (dedicate it). 6 וּמִֽי־ (And who is) הָאִ֞ישׁ (the man) אֲשֶׁר־ (who) נָטַ֥ע (has planted) כֶּ֙רֶם֙ (a vineyard) וְלֹ֣א (and not) חִלְּל֔וֹ (has eaten of it)? יֵלֵ֖ךְ (Let him go) וְיָשֹׁ֣ב (and return) לְבֵית֑וֹ (to his house), פֶּן־ (lest) יָמוּת֙ (he die) בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה (in the battle) וְאִ֥ישׁ (and man) אַחֵ֖ר (another) יְחַלְּלֶֽנּוּ׃ (eat of it). 7 וּמִֽי־ (And who is) הָאִ֞ישׁ (the man) אֲשֶׁר־ (who) אֵרַ֤שׂ (who is betrothed to) אִשָּׁה֙ (a woman) וְלֹ֣א (and not) לְקָחָ֔הּ (has married her)? יֵלֵ֖ךְ (Let him go) וְיָשֹׁ֣ב (and return) לְבֵית֑וֹ (to his house), פֶּן־ (lest) יָמוּת֙ (he die) בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה (in the battle) וְאִ֥ישׁ (and man) אַחֵ֖ר (another) יִקָּחֶֽנָּה׃ (marry her).

8 וְיָסְפ֣וּ (And shall add) הַשֹּׁטְרִים֮ (the officers) לְדַבֵּ֣ר (to speak) אֶל־ (to) הָעָם֒ (the people) וְאָמְר֗וּ (and say), מִי־ (Who is) הָאִ֤ישׁ (the man) הַיָּרֵא֙ (fearful) וְרַ֣ךְ (and) הַלֵּבָ֔ב (fainthearted)? יֵלֵ֖ךְ (Let him go) וְיָשֹׁ֣ב (and return) לְבֵית֑וֹ (to his house), וְלֹ֥א (so that not) יִמַּ֛ס (shall melt) אֶת־ (-) לְבַ֥ב (the heart) אֶחָ֖יו (of his brothers) כִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃ (like his heart).

9 וְהָיָ֛ה (And it shall come to pass), כְּכַלֹּ֥ת (having finished) הַשֹּׁטְרִ֖ים (the officers) לְדַבֵּ֣ר (speaking) אֶל־ (to) הָעָ֑ם (the people), וּפָֽקְד֛וּ (that they shall make) שָׂרֵ֥י (captains) צְבָא֖וֹת (of the armies) בְּרֹ֥אשׁ (to lead) הָעָֽם׃ס (the people).

10 כִּֽי־ (When) תִקְרַ֣ב (you go near) אֶל־ (to) עִ֔יר (a city) לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם (to fight) עָלֶ֑יהָ (against it), וְקָרָ֥אתָ (then you shall call out) אֵלֶ֖יהָ (to it) לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ (for peace). 11 וְהָיָה֙ (And it shall come to pass), אִם־ (that if) שָׁל֣וֹם (of peace) תַּֽעַנְךָ֔ (they accept your offer) וּפָתְחָ֖ה (and open) לָ֑ךְ (to you), וְהָיָ֞ה (and) כָּל־ (all) הָעָ֣ם (the people) הַנִּמְצָא־ (found) בָ֗הּ (in it) יִהְי֥וּ (shall be) לְךָ֛ (unto you) לָמַ֖ס (in tribute), וַעֲבָדֽוּךָ׃ (and they will serve you).

12 וְאִם־ (And if) לֹ֤א (not) תַשְׁלִים֙ (it makes peace) עִמָּ֔ךְ (with you) וְעָשְׂתָ֥ה (and makes) עִמְּךָ֖ (against you) מִלְחָמָ֑ה (war), וְצַרְתָּ֖ (then you shall lay siege) עָלֶֽיהָּ׃ (against it). 13 וּנְתָנָ֛הּ (And has delivered it) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ (your God) בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ (into your hands), וְהִכִּיתָ֥ (and you shall strike) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (every) זְכוּרָ֖הּ (male in it) לְפִי־ (with the mouth) חָֽרֶב׃ (of the sword). 14 רַ֣ק (But) הַ֠נָּשִׁים (the women), וְהַטַּ֨ף (and the children), וְהַבְּהֵמָ֜ה (and the livestock), וְכֹל֩ (and all) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) יִהְיֶ֥ה (is) בָעִ֛יר (in the city), כָּל־ (all) שְׁלָלָ֖הּ (its spoil), תָּבֹ֣ז (you shall plunder) לָ֑ךְ (for yourself). וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙ (And you shall devour) אֶת־ (-) שְׁלַ֣ל (the plunder) אֹיְבֶ֔יךָ (of your enemies), אֲשֶׁ֥ר (which) נָתַ֛ן (gives) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ (your God) לָֽךְ׃ (to you). 15 כֵּ֤ן (Thus) תַּעֲשֶׂה֙ (you shall do) לְכָל־ (to all) הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים (the cities) הָרְחֹקֹ֥ת (far) מִמְּךָ֖ (from you) מְאֹ֑ד (very), אֲשֶׁ֛ר (which) לֹא־ (not) מֵעָרֵ֥י (from the cities) הַגּֽוֹיִם־ (of the nations) הָאֵ֖לֶּה (these) הֵֽנָּה׃ (they are).

16 רַ֗ק (But) מֵעָרֵ֤י (from the cities) הָֽעַמִּים֙ (of the peoples) הָאֵ֔לֶּה (these) אֲשֶׁר֙ (that) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (your God) נֹתֵ֥ן (gives) לְךָ֖ (to you) נַחֲלָ֑ה (as an inheritance), לֹ֥א (not) תְחַיֶּ֖ה (you shall keep alive) כָּל־ (anything) נְשָׁמָֽה׃ (that breathes). 17 כִּֽי־ (But) הַחֲרֵ֣ם (devoting) תַּחֲרִימֵ֗ם (you must devote them to destruction)— הַחִתִּ֤י (the Hittite), וְהָאֱמֹרִי֙ (and the Amorite), הַכְּנַעֲנִ֣י (and the Canaanite), וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י (and the Perizzite), הַחִוִּ֖י (and the Hivite), וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י (and the Jebusite)— כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (as) צִוְּךָ֖ (has commanded you) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ (your God), 18 לְמַ֗עַן (so that) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (-) לֹֽא־ (not) יְלַמְּד֤וּ (they will teach) אֶתְכֶם֙ (you⁺) לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת (to do) כְּכֹל֙ (according to all) תּֽוֹעֲבֹתָ֔ם (their abominations) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) עָשׂ֖וּ (they have done) לֵֽאלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם (for their gods), וַחֲטָאתֶ֖ם (and cause you⁺ to sin) לַיהוָ֥ה (against YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ס (your⁺ God).

19 כִּֽי־ (When) תָצ֣וּר (you lay siege) אֶל־ (to) עִיר֩ (a city) יָמִ֨ים (days) רַבִּ֜ים (many) לְֽהִלָּחֵ֧ם (while making war) עָלֶ֣יהָ (against it) לְתָפְשָׂ֗הּ (to capture it), לֹֽא־ (not) תַשְׁחִ֤ית (you shall destroy) אֶת־ (-) עֵצָהּ֙ (its trees) לִנְדֹּ֤חַ (by wielding) עָלָיו֙ (against them) גַּרְזֶ֔ן (an ax). כִּ֚י (If) מִמֶּ֣נּוּ (of them) תֹאכֵ֔ל (you can eat), וְאֹת֖וֹ (and them) לֹ֣א (not) תִכְרֹ֑ת (do cut down), כִּ֤י (for) הָֽאָדָם֙ (a man) עֵ֣ץ (is the tree) הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה (of the field), לָבֹ֥א (to use) מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ (in the face) בַּמָּצֽוֹר׃ (of the siege). 20 רַ֞ק (Only) עֵ֣ץ (the trees) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) תֵּדַ֗ע (you know) כִּֽי־ (that) לֹא־ (not) עֵ֤ץ (trees) מַאֲכָל֙ (for food) ה֔וּא (are), אֹת֥וֹ (-) תַשְׁחִ֖ית (you may destroy) וְכָרָ֑תָּ (and cut down) וּבָנִ֣יתָ (and build) מָצ֗וֹר (siege works) עַל־ (against) הָעִיר֙ (the city) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) הִ֨וא (it) עֹשָׂ֧ה (is making) עִמְּךָ֛ (with you) מִלְחָמָ֖ה (war), עַ֥ד (until) רִדְתָּֽהּ׃פ (it is subdued).