Deuteronomy 20

20 ¹ When you go to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not fear them, for your Father is with you—the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt. ² When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people. ³ He shall tell them, "Hear, Israel: today you go to battle against your enemies. Do not lose heart, do not fear, do not panic, do not be terrified of them, ⁴ for your Father goes with you, to fight your enemies for you and give you victory."

⁵ Then the officers will tell the people: "Has anyone built a new house but not dedicated it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and another dedicate it. ⁶ Has anyone planted a vineyard but not yet enjoyed its fruit? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and another enjoy it. ⁷ Has anyone become engaged to a woman but not married her? He may go home, or he might die in battle and another man marry her." ⁸ The officers shall say further to the people, "Anyone afraid and losing courage may go home, so his brothers' hearts do not melt like his own." ⁹ When the officers finish speaking to the people, they will appoint army commanders to lead them.

¹⁰ When you draw near to a city to fight against it, offer it peace. ¹¹ If it answers you peaceably and opens to you, all its people will serve you as forced laborers. ¹² But if it refuses peace and makes war on you, then lay siege to it. ¹³ When your Father hands it over to you, put all its males to the sword. ¹⁴ But the women, children, livestock, and all else in the city—all its spoil—you may plunder for yourselves, and enjoy the spoil of your enemies, which your Father has given you. ¹⁵ Treat every city far away, not among these nations' cities, this way. ¹⁶ But in the cities of these peoples your Father gives you as an inheritance, leave alive nothing that breathes. ¹⁷ Rather, devote them to complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as your Father has commanded you, ¹⁸ so they won't teach you to imitate all the detestable things they do for their gods, making you sin against your Father.

¹⁹ When you besiege a city a long time, waging war to capture it, do not destroy its trees by swinging an axe against them. You may eat from them, but do not cut them down. Are the field's trees human, that you should besiege them too? ²⁰ Cut down only trees you know are not for food, and build siege works against the city at war with you until it falls.