Deuteronomy 20 דְּבָרִים פרק כ׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Deuteronomy 20 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   כִּי־תֵצֵאwhen shall proceedלַמִּלְחָמָהto the warעַל־אֹיְבֶךָupon your enemyוְרָאִיתָand you beheldסוּסhorsesוָרֶכֶבand chariotעַםa peopleרַבgreatמִמְּךָfrom youלֹאnotתִירָאyou shall be afraidמֵהֶםof themכִּי־יְהֹוָהfor the LORDאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godעִמָּךְwith youהַמַּעַלְךָwho brought you upמֵאֶרֶץfrom the land ofמִצְרָיִם׃Egypt

   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. 2

   וְהָיָהand beכְּקָרׇבְכֶםwhen you draw nearאֶל־הַמִּלְחָמָהto the battleוְנִגַּשׁand he will draw nearהַכֹּהֵןthe priestוְדִבֶּרand shall speakאֶל־הָעָם׃to the people

   And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,

3. 3

   וְאָמַרand saidאֲלֵהֶםunto themשְׁמַעhearkenיִשְׂרָאֵלIsraelאַתֶּםyouקְרֵבִיםare drawing nearהַיּוֹםthe dayלַמִּלְחָמָהto the warעַל־אֹיְבֵיכֶםupon your enemiesאַל־יֵרַךְlet not be faintלְבַבְכֶםyour heartsאַל־תִּירְאוּfear notוְאַל־תַּחְפְּזוּand do not make hasteוְאַל־תַּעַרְצוּand do not be terrifiedמִפְּנֵיהֶם׃from before them

   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. 4

   כִּיbecauseיְהֹוָהthe LORDאֱלֹהֵיכֶםyour Godהַהֹלֵךְthat goesעִמָּכֶםwith youלְהִלָּחֵםto fightלָכֶםto youעִם־אֹיְבֵיכֶםwith your enemiesלְהוֹשִׁיעַto saveאֶתְכֶם׃you

   For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

5. 5

   וְדִבְּרוּand they will sayהַשֹּׁטְרִיםthe officersאֶל־הָעָםto the peopleלֵאמֹרsayingמִי־הָאִישׁwho the manאֲשֶׁרwhichבָּנָהbuiltבַיִת־חָדָשׁa new houseוְלֹאand notחֲנָכוֹhe has dedicated itיֵלֵךְlet him goוְיָשֹׁבand returnלְבֵיתוֹto his houseפֶּן־יָמוּתlest shall he dieבַּמִּלְחָמָהin the battleוְאִישׁand a manאַחֵרotherיַחְנְכֶנּוּ׃he will dedicate 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. 6

   וּמִי־הָאִישׁand whoso the manאֲשֶׁר־נָטַעwho has plantedכֶּרֶםa vineyardוְלֹאand notחִלְּלוֹhe has put to use itיֵלֵךְlet him goוְיָשֹׁבand returnלְבֵיתוֹto his houseפֶּן־יָמוּתlest shall he dieבַּמִּלְחָמָהin the battleוְאִישׁand a manאַחֵרotherיְחַלְּלֶנּוּ׃he will put to use it

   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. 7

   וּמִי־הָאִישׁand whoso the manאֲשֶׁר־אֵרַשׂwhich he has betrothedאִשָּׁהa womanוְלֹאand notלְקָחָהּhe has taken herיֵלֵךְlet him goוְיָשֹׁבand returnלְבֵיתוֹto his houseפֶּן־יָמוּתlest shall he dieבַּמִּלְחָמָהin the battleוְאִישׁand a manאַחֵרotherיִקָּחֶנָּה׃shall take her

   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. 8

   וְיָסְפוּand shall speak furtherהַשֹּׁטְרִיםthe officersלְדַבֵּרto speakאֶל־הָעָםto the peopleוְאָמְרוּshall sayמִי־הָאִישׁwho the manהַיָּרֵאthat is fearfulוְרַךְand faintheartedהַלֵּבָבthe heartיֵלֵךְlet him goוְיָשֹׁבand returnלְבֵיתוֹto his houseוְלֹאand notיִמַּסfaintאֶת־לְבַבhearts ofאֶחָיוhis brethrenכִּלְבָבוֹ׃like his heart

   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. 9

   וְהָיָהand beכְּכַלֹּתwhen have made an endהַשֹּׁטְרִיםthe officersלְדַבֵּרto speakאֶל־הָעָםto the peopleוּפָקְדוּand they will appointשָׂרֵיcaptains ofצְבָאוֹתthe armiesבְּרֹאשׁin the top ofהָעָם׃the people

   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.

10. 10

    כִּי־תִקְרַבwhen you will draw nearאֶל־עִירunto the city ofלְהִלָּחֵםto fightעָלֶיהָupon itוְקָרָאתָand you shall proclaimאֵלֶיהָunto itלְשָׁלוֹם׃for peace

    When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.

11. 11

    וְהָיָהand beאִם־שָׁלוֹםif peaceתַּעַנְךָit will answer youוּפָתְחָהand it will openלָךְto youוְהָיָהand beכׇּל־הָעָםall the peopleהַנִּמְצָא־בָהּthat is found thereinיִהְיוּshall beלְךָfor youלָמַסtributariesוַעֲבָדוּךָ׃and they will 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. 12

    וְאִם־לֹאand if notתַשְׁלִיםit will make peaceעִמָּךְwith youוְעָשְׂתָהand it will doעִמְּךָwith youמִלְחָמָהwarוְצַרְתָּand you shall besiegeעָלֶיהָ׃upon it

    And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:

13. 13

    וּנְתָנָהּand will give itיְהֹוָהthe LORDאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godבְּיָדֶךָinto your handוְהִכִּיתָand you will strikeאֶת־כׇּל־זְכוּרָהּall its maleלְפִי־חָרֶב׃by the edge of 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. 14

    רַקonlyהַנָּשִׁיםthe womenוְהַטַּףand the little onesוְהַבְּהֵמָהand the livestockוְכֹלand allאֲשֶׁרwhichיִהְיֶהshall beבָעִירin the cityכׇּל־שְׁלָלָהּall its plunderתָּבֹזyou will plunderלָךְto youוְאָכַלְתָּand you shall eatאֶת־שְׁלַלthe spoil ofאֹיְבֶיךָyour enemiesאֲשֶׁרwhichנָתַןgaveיְהֹוָהthe LORDאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godלָךְ׃to you

    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. 15

    כֵּןthusתַּעֲשֶׂהyou shall doלְכׇל־הֶעָרִיםto all the citiesהָרְחֹקֹתthe distantמִמְּךָfrom youמְאֹדexceedinglyאֲשֶׁרwhichלֹא־מֵעָרֵיnot from the cities ofהַגּוֹיִם־הָאֵלֶּהthe nations theseהֵנָּה׃they

    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. 16

    רַקonlyמֵעָרֵיfrom the cities ofהָעַמִּיםthe peopleהָאֵלֶּהtheseאֲשֶׁרwhichיְהֹוָהthe LORDאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godנֹתֵןgivingלְךָfor youנַחֲלָהinheritanceלֹאnotתְחַיֶּהyou will let liveכׇּל־נְשָׁמָה׃all breath

    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. 17

    כִּי־הַחֲרֵםbut utterly destroyingתַּחֲרִימֵםyou will totally destroy themהַחִתִּיthe Hittitesוְהָאֱמֹרִיand the Amoriteהַכְּנַעֲנִיthe Canaaniteוְהַפְּרִזִּיand the Perizziteהַחִוִּיthe Hiviteוְהַיְבוּסִיand the Jebusiteכַּאֲשֶׁרasצִוְּךָhas commanded youיְהֹוָהthe LORDאֱלֹהֶיךָ׃your God

    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. 18

    לְמַעַןin order thatאֲשֶׁרwhichלֹא־יְלַמְּדוּnot they may teachאֶתְכֶםyouלַעֲשׂוֹתto doכְּכֹלaccording to allתּוֹעֲבֹתָםtheir abominationsאֲשֶׁרwhichעָשׂוּthey didלֵאלֹהֵיהֶםto their godsוַחֲטָאתֶםand you will sinלַיהֹוָהto the LORDאֱלֹהֵיכֶם׃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.

19. 19

    כִּי־תָצוּרwhen you will lay siegeאֶל־עִירunto the city ofיָמִיםdaysרַבִּיםmanyלְהִלָּחֵםto fightעָלֶיהָupon itלְתׇפְשָׂהּto capture itלֹא־תַשְׁחִיתyou shall not destroyאֶת־עֵצָהּits treesלִנְדֹּחַby wieldingעָלָיוupon himגַּרְזֶןan axeכִּיbecauseמִמֶּנּוּfrom himתֹאכֵלyou shall eatוְאֹתוֹand himלֹאnotתִכְרֹתyou shall cut downכִּיbecauseהָאָדָםis the manעֵץa treeהַשָּׂדֶהthe fieldלָבֹאthat it should comeמִפָּנֶיךָfrom before youבַּמָּצוֹר׃in the state of siege

    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. 20

    רַקonlyעֵץa treeאֲשֶׁר־תֵּדַעwhich you knowכִּי־לֹא־עֵץbecause not a treeמַאֲכׇלfoodהוּאitאֹתוֹhimתַשְׁחִיתyou shall destroyוְכָרָתָּand you will cut downוּבָנִיתָand you will buildמָצוֹרsiege worksעַל־הָעִירupon the cityאֲשֶׁר־הִואwhichעֹשָׂהis makingעִמְּךָwith youמִלְחָמָהwarעַדuntilרִדְתָּהּ׃it be subdued

    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.