Seek and you shall find
Step 1 of 4
The screens can be English or Spanish. English passages use World English Bible or King James. Spanish passages use the public-domain Reina-Valera 1909.
The text
DeuteronomyWEB
Deuteronomy 20:1WEB
When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses, chariots, and a people more numerous than you, you shall not be afraid of them; for Yahweh your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, is with you.
“Yahweh” is the divine name in this translation. Many Bibles say “the LORD.”
Deuteronomy 20:2WEB
It shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people,
Deuteronomy 20:3WEB
and shall tell them, “Hear, Israel, you draw near today to battle against your enemies. Don’t let your heart faint! Don’t be afraid, nor tremble, neither be scared of them;
Deuteronomy 20:4WEB
for Yahweh your God is he who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”
“Yahweh” is the divine name in this translation. Many Bibles say “the LORD.”
Deuteronomy 20:5WEB
The officers shall speak to the people, saying, “What man is there who has built a new house, and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.
Deuteronomy 20:6WEB
What man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not used its fruit? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use its fruit.
Deuteronomy 20:7WEB
What man is there who has pledged to be married to a wife, and has not taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.”
Deuteronomy 20:8WEB
The officers shall speak further to the people, and they shall say, “What man is there who is fearful and faint-hearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest his brother’s heart melt as his heart.”
Deuteronomy 20:9WEB
It shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall appoint captains of armies at the head of the people.
Deuteronomy 20:10WEB
When you draw near to a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace to it.
Deuteronomy 20:11WEB
It shall be, if it gives you answer of peace and opens to you, then it shall be that all the people who are found therein shall become forced laborers to you, and shall serve you.
Deuteronomy 20:12WEB
If it will make no peace with you, but will make war against you, then you shall besiege it.
Deuteronomy 20:13WEB
When Yahweh your God delivers it into your hand, you shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword;
“Yahweh” is the divine name in this translation. Many Bibles say “the LORD.”
Deuteronomy 20:14WEB
but the women, the little ones, the livestock, and all that is in the city, even all its plunder, you shall take for plunder for yourself. You may use the plunder of your enemies, which Yahweh your God has given you.
“Yahweh” is the divine name in this translation. Many Bibles say “the LORD.”
Deuteronomy 20:15WEB
Thus you shall do to all the cities which are very far off from you, which are not of the cities of these nations.
Deuteronomy 20:16WEB
But of the cities of these peoples that Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes;
“Yahweh” is the divine name in this translation. Many Bibles say “the LORD.”
Deuteronomy 20:17WEB
but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, as Yahweh your God has commanded you;
“Yahweh” is the divine name in this translation. Many Bibles say “the LORD.”
Deuteronomy 20:18WEB
that they not teach you to follow all their abominations, which they have done for their gods; so would you sin against Yahweh your God.
“Yahweh” is the divine name in this translation. Many Bibles say “the LORD.”
Deuteronomy 20:19WEB
When you shall besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them; for you may eat of them. You shall not cut them down, for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged by you?
Deuteronomy 20:20WEB
Only the trees that you know are not trees for food, you shall destroy and cut them down. You shall build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until it falls.
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain.