Deuteronomy 20 read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Deuteronomy 20 (WEBP)

[1] 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.
[2] It shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people,
[3] 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;
[4] for Yahweh your God is he who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”
[5] 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.
[6] 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.
[7] 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.”
[8] 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.”
[9] 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.
[10] When you draw near to a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace to it.
[11] 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.
[12] If it will make no peace with you, but will make war against you, then you shall besiege it.
[13] When Yahweh your God delivers it into your hand, you shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword;
[14] 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.
[15] Thus you shall do to all the cities which are very far off from you, which are not of the cities of these nations.
[16] But of the cities of these peoples that Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes;
[17] 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;
[18] 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.
[19] 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?
[20] 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 taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Deuteronomy 20 (KJVS)

[1] When thou goest out H3318 (8799) to battle H4421 against thine enemies H341 (8802), and seest H7200 (8804) horses H5483, and chariots H7393, [and] a people H5971 more H7227 than thou, be not afraid H3372 (8799) of them: for the LORD H3068 thy God H430 [is] with thee, which brought thee up H5927 (8688) out of the land H776 of Egypt H4714.
[2] And it shall be, when ye are come nigh H7126 (8800) unto the battle H4421, that the priest H3548 shall approach H5066 (8738) and speak H1696 (8765) unto the people H5971,
[3] And shall say H559 (8804) unto them, Hear H8085 (8798), O Israel H3478, ye approach H7131 this day H3117 unto battle H4421 against your enemies H341 (8802): let not your hearts H3824 faint H7401 (8735), fear H3372 (8799) not, and do not tremble H2648 (8799), neither be ye terrified H6206 (8799) because H6440 of them;
[4] For the LORD H3068 your God H430 [is] he that goeth H1980 (8802) with you, to fight H3898 (8736) for you against your enemies H341 (8802), to save H3467 (8687) you.
[5] And the officers H7860 (8802) shall speak H1696 (8765) unto the people H5971, saying H559 (8800), What man H376 [is there] that hath built H1129 (8804) a new H2319 house H1004, and hath not dedicated H2596 (8804) it? let him go H3212 (8799) and return H7725 (8799) to his house H1004, lest he die H4191 (8799) in the battle H4421, and another H312 man H376 dedicate H2596 (8799) it.
[6] And what man H376 [is he] that hath planted H5193 (8804) a vineyard H3754, and hath not [yet] eaten H2490 (8765) of it? let him [also] go H3212 (8799) and return H7725 (8799) unto his house H1004, lest he die H4191 (8799) in the battle H4421, and another H312 man H376 eat H2490 (8762) of it.
[7] And what man H376 [is there] that hath betrothed H781 (8765) a wife H802, and hath not taken H3947 (8804) her? let him go H3212 (8799) and return H7725 (8799) unto his house H1004, lest he die H4191 (8799) in the battle H4421, and another H312 man H376 take H3947 (8799) her.
[8] And the officers H7860 (8802) shall speak H1696 (8763) further H3254 (8804) unto the people H5971, and they shall say H559 (8804), What man H376 [is there that is] fearful H3373 and fainthearted H7390 H3824? let him go H3212 (8799) and return H7725 (8799) unto his house H1004, lest his brethren’s H251 heart H3824 faint H4549 (8735) as well as his heart H3824.
[9] And it shall be, when the officers H7860 (8802) have made an end H3615 (8763) of speaking H1696 (8763) unto the people H5971, that they shall make H6485 (8804) captains H8269 of the armies H6635 to lead H7218 the people H5971.
[10] When thou comest nigh H7126 (8799) unto a city H5892 to fight H3898 (8736) against it, then proclaim H7121 (8804) peace H7965 unto it.
[11] And it shall be, if it make thee answer H6030 (8799) of peace H7965, and open H6605 (8804) unto thee, then it shall be, [that] all the people H5971 [that is] found H4672 (8737) therein shall be tributaries H4522 unto thee, and they shall serve H5647 (8804) thee.
[12] And if it will make no peace H7999 (8686) with thee, but will make H6213 (8804) war H4421 against thee, then thou shalt besiege H6696 (8804) it:
[13] And when the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath delivered H5414 (8804) it into thine hands H3027, thou shalt smite H5221 (8689) every male H2138 thereof with the edge H6310 of the sword H2719:
[14] But the women H802, and the little ones H2945, and the cattle H929, and all that is in the city H5892, [even] all the spoil H7998 thereof, shalt thou take H962 (8799) unto thyself; and thou shalt eat H398 (8804) the spoil H7998 of thine enemies H341 (8802), which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath given H5414 (8804) thee.
[15] Thus shalt thou do H6213 (8799) unto all the cities H5892 [which are] very H3966 far off H7350 from thee, which H2007 [are] not of the cities H5892 of these nations H1471.
[16] But of the cities H5892 of these people H5971, which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 doth give H5414 (8802) thee [for] an inheritance H5159, thou shalt save alive H2421 (8762) nothing that breatheth H5397:
[17] But thou shalt utterly H2763 (8687) destroy H2763 (8686) them; [namely], the Hittites H2850, and the Amorites H567, the Canaanites H3669, and the Perizzites H6522, the Hivites H2340, and the Jebusites H2983; as the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath commanded H6680 (8765) thee:
[18] That they teach H3925 (8762) you not to do H6213 (8800) after all their abominations H8441, which they have done H6213 (8804) unto their gods H430; so should ye sin H2398 (8804) against the LORD H3068 your God H430.
[19] When thou shalt besiege H6696 (8799) a city H5892 a long H7227 time H3117, in making war H3898 (8736) against it to take H8610 (8800) it, thou shalt not destroy H7843 (8686) the trees H6086 thereof by forcing H5080 (8800) an axe H1631 against them: for thou mayest eat H398 (8799) of them, and thou shalt not cut them down H3772 (8799) (for the tree H6086 of the field H7704 [is] man’s H120 [life]) to employ H935 (8800) [them] in the siege H6440 H4692:
[20] Only the trees H6086 which thou knowest H3045 (8799) that they [be] not trees H6086 for meat H3978, thou shalt destroy H7843 (8686) and cut them down H3772 (8804); and thou shalt build H1129 (8804) bulwarks H4692 against the city H5892 that maketh H6213 (8802) war H4421 with thee, until it be subdued H3381 (8800).

Young’s Literal Translation

Deuteronomy 20 (YLT)

[1] ‘When thou goest out to battle against thine enemy, and hast seen horse and chariot-a people more numerous than thou-thou art not afraid of them, for Jehovah thy God is with thee, who is bringing thee up out of the land of Egypt;
[2] and it hath been, in your drawing near unto the battle, that the priest hath come nigh, and spoken unto the people,
[3] and said unto them, Hear, Israel, ye are drawing near to-day to battle against your enemies, let not your hearts be tender, fear not, nor make haste, nor be terrified at their presence,
[4] for Jehovah your God is He who is going with you, to fight for you with your enemies-to save you.
[5] ‘And the authorities have spoken unto the people, saying, Who is the man that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it?-let him go and turn back to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man dedicate it.
[6] ‘And who is the man that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not made it common?-let him go and turn back to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man make it common.
[7] ‘And who is the man that hath betrothed a woman, and hath not taken her?-let him go and turn back to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man take her.
[8] ‘And the authorities have added to speak unto the people, and said, Who is the man that is afraid and tender of heart?-let him go and turn back to his house, and the heart of his brethren doth not melt like his heart;
[9] and it hath come to pass as the authorities finish to speak unto the people, that they have appointed princes of the hosts at the head of the people.
[10] ‘When thou drawest near unto a city to fight against it, then thou hast called unto it for Peace,
[11] and it hath been, if Peace it answer thee, and hath opened to thee, then it hath come to pass-all the people who are found in it are to thee for tributaries, and have served thee.
[12] ‘And if it doth not make peace with thee, and hath made with thee war, then thou hast laid siege against it,
[13] and Jehovah thy God hath given it into thy hand, and thou hast smitten every male of it by the mouth of the sword.
[14] Only, the women, and the infants, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, thou dost seize for thyself, and thou hast eaten the spoil of thine enemies which Jehovah thy God hath given to thee.
[15] So thou dost do to all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
[16] ‘Only, of the cities of these peoples which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee for an inheritance, thou dost not keep alive any breathing;
[17] for thou dost certainly devote the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee,
[18] so that they teach you not to do according to all their abominations which they have done to their gods, and ye have sinned against Jehovah your God.
[19] ‘When thou layest siege unto a city many days, to fight against it, to capture it, thou dost not destroy its trees to force an axe against them, for of them thou dost eat, and them thou dost not cut down-for man’s is the tree of the field-to go in at thy presence in the siege.
[20] Only, the tree, which thou knowest that it is not a fruit-tree, it thou dost destroy, and hast cut down, and hast built a bulwark against the city which is making with thee war till thou hast subdued it.