Do Not Fear in Battle
Study note
When Israel went to war against enemies with horses and chariots, they were not to be afraid. The Lord who brought them out of Egypt would be with them. Before battle, a priest would encourage the army.
1 "When you march out to fight your enemies and you see horses, chariots, and an army bigger than yours, do not panic. The Lord your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt, is there with you. When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
2 Before the battle starts, a priest must come forward and address the troops. And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
3 He will announce, 'Pay attention, Israel! You are about to fight your enemies today. Stay calm. Do not be scared. Do not let fear or panic take over. And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;
4 The Lord your God is marching right alongside you. He will fight against your enemies for you and give you the victory.' For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
Exemptions from Military Service
Study note
Officers were to excuse from battle anyone who had built a new house and not yet dedicated it, planted a vineyard and not yet enjoyed it, or become engaged and not yet married. Anyone who was afraid was also excused, so their fear would not spread to other soldiers.
5 "Then the officers will make these announcements to the army: 'Has anyone recently built a new house but has not yet moved in? Go home, so you do not die in battle and someone else gets to enjoy it. And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.
6 Has anyone recently planted a vineyard but has not yet tasted its first harvest? Go home, so you do not die in battle and someone else benefits from your work. And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.
7 Has anyone gotten engaged but has not yet been married? Go home, so you do not die in battle and someone else marries the person you love.' And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.
8 "The officers will also ask, 'Is anyone here scared or losing nerve? Go home, so your fear does not spread to the other soldiers.' And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart.
9 After the officers finish talking to the army, they will choose commanders to lead the troops. And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.
Rules for Attacking Cities
Study note
When approaching a distant city, Israel was to offer peace first. If the city accepted, the people became servants. If it refused, Israel was to lay siege. For the cities of the seven Canaanite nations within the Promised Land, however, complete destruction was required to prevent Israel from being led into idol worship.
10 "When you approach a city to attack it, start by offering peace. When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.
11 If the city agrees to your terms and opens its gates, everyone inside will become your workers and serve you. And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
12 But if the city rejects your peace offer and wants to fight, surround it. And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:
13 When the Lord your God delivers it into your hands, put every man in it to the sword. And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:
14 But you may keep the women, children, animals, and everything else in the city. Enjoy the valuables the Lord your God hands you from your enemies. But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.
15 Handle distant cities this way -- cities that do not belong to the nearby nations. Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
16 "But in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as a lasting home, do not spare anything that breathes. But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:
17 Wipe them out fully. Wipe out every Hittite, Amorite, Canaanite, Perizzite, Hivite, and Jebusite. The Lord your God has told you to do this. But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:
18 If you do not get rid of them, they will teach you to copy the horrible things they do when worshipping their gods. That will cause you to sin against the Lord your God. That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.
Do Not Destroy Fruit Trees
Study note
During a siege, Israel must not cut down fruit trees. Trees that do not produce food could be cut for building siege works, but fruit trees were to be preserved. This showed respect for God's creation even in wartime.
19 "When you surround a city and the siege drags on, do not destroy its fruit trees by chopping them down. You can eat their fruit, so leave them standing. Trees are not your enemies! When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege:
20 You may, however, cut down trees that do not produce food. Use the wood to build siege structures against the city until it falls." Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.