UNROLL
Dawn on a ridge in the hill country: a small camp of low tents with spears stacked upright beside them, all quiet, and far across a misty valley a small walled town on its mound.

The Book of

Deuteronomy 20

Before Israel ever fought, God told them who would fight for them, who should go home, and which trees to leave standing.

20 verses≈ 4 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

  1. 1–4Remember the wayFrom Horeb to Moab
  2. 5–11Love the LORDThe heart of the covenant
  3. 12–26Laws for the landWorship, justice, neighborChapter 20
  4. 27–30Blessing and curseChoose life
  5. 31–34Moses' farewellA song, a blessing, a death

Laws of Warfare

When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you.

Deuteronomy 20:1

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

From a hilltop, Israelite men with spears, seen from behind, look across a wide valley at rows of light two-wheeled chariots drawn up far off on the plain.
At first light on a hillside, a priest in white linen, seen from behind with one hand raised, speaks to ranks of Israelite men standing with their spears grounded, the valley in mist below.

When you are about to go into battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army, saying to them, “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be alarmed or terrified because of them. For the LORD your God goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”

0:20

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Moses

Then the officers shall speak further to the army, saying, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him return home, so that the hearts of his brothers will not melt like his own.”

When the officers have finished addressing the army, they are to appoint commanders to lead it.

Reflect

Afraid or fainthearted?

Before the battle the officers asked, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted?” Name the fear that would make you turn back right now. Write it down. Then write under it the priest’s word to the army: “For the LORD your God goes with you.” What would change this week if you believed it?

Two unarmed envoys in plain wool cloaks walk up a dusty road toward the shut wooden gate of a small walled town on its mound, men watching from the top of the plain mud-brick wall.

The law

A city far away

  1. Peace

    First, offer peace

    When you approach a city to fight against it, you are to make an offer of peace.

  2. If they accept: they serve you

    If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates, all the people there will become forced laborers to serve you.

  3. War

    If they refuse: lay siege

    But if they refuse to make peace with you and wage war against you, lay siege to that city.

  4. Every male put to the sword

    When the LORD your God has delivered it into your hand, you must put every male to the sword.

  5. Women, children, goods taken as spoil

    But the women, children, livestock, and whatever else is in the city—all its spoil—you may take as plunder, and you shall use the spoil of your enemies that the LORD your God gives you.

  6. The limit

    Only for cities far away

    This is how you are to treat all the cities that are far away from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.

However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes. For you must devote them to complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God.

On a bare hilltop at evening, a row of tall, rough Canaanite standing stones, two of them toppled and broken in the dust.

Two kinds of city

Go out with Goddo not be afraid · 1–4Cities far awayfirst, offer peace ·10–11If they refusesiege; the men fall ·12–15Nations of thelanddevoted to the LORD ·16–17Whylest they teach you ·18Judgment onlong sin9:4–5

Whiteboard

Deuteronomy 20 sets two different rules. For “all the cities that are far away from you,” Israel must first “make an offer of peace.” A city that accepts is spared and serves; one that fights is besieged, its men killed and the rest taken. For the cities of the nations the LORD was giving Israel, the rule is complete destruction, and the reason is given: “so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods.” Moses has already said why God judged those nations: their long wickedness, not Israel’s goodness (9:4–5). It was for that time and that land only, never a pattern for any later people.

Pray

Courage and peace

Pray for courage that rests on God, not on numbers or strength: “the LORD your God goes with you.” Pray for peace where there is war today, for people living under siege and in fear, and for leaders to seek peace first. And ask God to keep you from anything that would teach you to love other gods.

When you lay siege to a city for an extended time while fighting against it to capture it, you must not destroy its trees by putting an axe to them, because you can eat their fruit. You must not cut them down.

Are the trees of the field human, that you should besiege them?

Deuteronomy 20:19

But you may destroy the trees that you know do not produce fruit. Use them to build siege works against the city that is waging war against you, until it falls.

Question

Quick question

Before a battle, the officers sent some men home.

Which of these men was NOT sent home?

You’ve experienced

Deuteronomy 20

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A verse to carry with you

When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you.

Deuteronomy 20:1

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