1  Thou shalt not sacrifice unto YHWH thy God an ox, or a sheep, wherein is a blemish, even any evil thing; for that is an abomination unto the YHWH thy God.

1  “You shall not immolate to the Lord your God a sheep or an ox, in which there is a blemish or any defect at all; for this is an abomination to the Lord your God.

2  If there be found in the midst of thee, within any of thy gates which YHWH thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that doeth that which is evil in the sight of the YHWH thy God, in transgressing His covenant,

2  And if there should be found in any one of thy cities, which the Lord thy God gives thee, a man or a woman who shall do that which is evil before the Lord thy God, so as to transgress his covenant,

2  When there will have been found among you, within one of your gates which the Lord your God will give to you, a man or a woman who is doing evil in the sight of the Lord your God, and who is transgressing his covenant,

3  and hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, or the sun, or the moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have commanded not;

3  and they should go and serve other gods, and worship them, the sun, or the moon, or any of the host of heaven, which he commanded thee not to do,

3  so as to go and serve foreign gods and adore them, such as the sun and the moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not instructed,

4  and it be told thee, and thou hear it, then shalt thou inquire diligently, and, behold, if it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel;

4  and when this will have been reported to you, and, upon hearing it, if you have inquired diligently and have found it to be true, that the abomination is being done in Israel

4  And it is told you, and you shall hear of it, you shall inquire diligently, and if it is true that such an abomination has been committed in Israel;

5  then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, who have done this evil thing, unto thy gates, even the man or the woman; and thou shalt stone them with stones, that they die.

5  you shall lead forward the man or the woman who has perpetrated this most wicked thing to the gates of your city, and they shall be stoned to death.

6  At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is to die be put to death; at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

6  He shall die on the testimony of two or three witnesses; a man who is put to death shall not be put to death for one witness.

6  By the mouth of two or three witnesses, he who is to be put to death shall perish. Let no one be killed with only one person speaking testimony against him.

7  The hand of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So thou shalt put away the evil from the midst of thee.

7  And the hand of the witnesses shall be upon him among the first to put him to death, and the hand of the people at the last; so shalt thou remove the evil one from among yourselves.

7  First, the hands of the witnesses shall be upon him who will be put to death, and lastly, the hands of the remainder of the people shall be sent forth. So may you take away the evil from your midst.

8  If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, even matters of controversy within thy gates; then shalt thou arise, and get thee up unto the place which YHWH thy God shall choose.

8  And if a matter shall be too hard for thee in judgement, between blood and blood, and between cause and cause, and between stroke and stroke, and between contradiction and contradiction, matters of judgement in your cities;

8  If you have perceived that there is among you a difficult and doubtful matter of judgment, between blood and blood, cause and cause, leprosy and leprosy, and if you will have seen that the words of the judges within your gates vary: rise up and ascend to the place which the Lord your God will choose.

9  And thou shall come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days; and thou shalt inquire; and they shall declare unto thee the sentence of judgment.

9  then thou shalt arise and go up to the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, and thou shalt come to the priests the Levites, and to the judge who shall be in those days, and they shall search out the matter and report the judgement to thee.

9  And you shall approach the priests of the Levitical stock, and the judge, who shall be among them at that time, and you shall inquire of them, and they will reveal to you the truth of the judgment.

10  And thou shalt do according to the tenor of the sentence, which they shall declare unto thee from that place which YHWH shall choose; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they shall teach thee.

10  And you shall accept whatever they will say, those who preside in the place which the Lord will choose, and whatever they will teach you,

10  And you shall do according to the decision which they of that place shall show you, as the LORD has commanded; and you shall observe to do according to all that they teach you;

11  According to the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do; thou shalt not turn aside from the sentence which they shall declare unto thee, to the right hand, nor to the left.

11  Thou shalt do according to the law and to the judgement which they shall declare to thee: thou shalt not swerve to the right hand or to the left from any sentence which they shall report to thee.

11  in accord with his law, and you shall follow their sentence. Neither shall you turn aside to the right or to the left.

12  And the man that doeth presumptuously, in not hearkening unto the priest that standeth to minister there before YHWH thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die; and thou shalt exterminate the evil from Israel.

12  And the man whosoever shall act in haughtiness, so as not to hearken to the priest who stands to minister in the name of the Lord thy God, or the judge who shall preside in those days, that man shall die, and thou shalt remove the evil one out of Israel.

12  But whoever will be arrogant, unwilling to obey the order of the priest who ministers at that time to the Lord your God, and the decree of the judge, that man shall die. And so shall you take away the evil from Israel.

13  And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.

13  And when the people hear about this, they shall be afraid, so that no one, from that time on, will swell with pride.

14  When thou art come unto the land which YHWH thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein; and shalt say: 'I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are round about me';

14  When you will have entered into the land which the Lord your God will give to you, and you possess it, and you live in it, and you say, ‘I will appoint a king over me, just as all the surrounding nations have done,’

15  thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom YHWH thy God shall choose; one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother.

15  you shall appoint him whom the Lord your God will choose from among the number of your brothers. You cannot make a man of another people king, one who is not your brother.

16  Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses; forasmuch as YHWH hath said unto you: 'Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.'

16  For he shall not multiply to himself horses, and he shall by no means turn the people back to Egypt, lest he should multiply to himself horses; for the Lord said, Ye shall not any more turn back by that way.

16  And when he will have been appointed king, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor lead the people back into Egypt, having been exalted by the number of his horsemen, especially since the Lord has instructed you never to return along the same way.

17  Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

17  And he shall not multiply to himself wives, lest his heart turn away; and he shall not greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

17  He shall not have many wives, who might allure his mind, and he shall not have immense weights of silver and gold.

18  And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites.

18  And when he shall be established in his government, then shall he write for himself this repetition of the law into a book by the hands of the priests the Levites;

18  Then, after he has been seated upon the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself the Deuteronomy of this law in a volume, using a copy from the priests of the Levitical tribe.

19  And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear YHWH his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them;

20  that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left; to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.

20  And so may his heart not become exalted with arrogance over his brothers, nor turn aside to the right or to the left, so that he and his sons may reign for a long time over Israel.”

18:1  The priests the Levites, even all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the offerings of YHWH made by fire, and His inheritance.

1  “The priests and the Levites, and all who are from the same tribe, shall have no portion or inheritance with the rest of Israel. For they shall eat the sacrifices of the Lord and his oblations.

18:2  And they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; YHWH is their inheritance, as He hath spoken unto them.

2  And they shall receive nothing else from the possession of their brothers. For the Lord himself is their inheritance, just as he said to them.

2  Therefore they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; the LORD is their inheritance, as he has said to them.

18:3  And this shall be the priests' due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.

3  And this is the due of the priests in the things coming from the people from those who offer sacrifices, whether it be a calf or a sheep; and thou shalt give the shoulder to the priest, and the cheeks, and the great intestine

3  This shall be the recompense for the priests from the people, and from those who offer victims, whether they will immolate an ox or a sheep. They shall give to the priest the shoulder and the breast,

18:4  The first-fruits of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.

18:5  For YHWH thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the YHWH, him and his sons for ever.

5  because the Lord has chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand before the Lord thy God, to minister and bless in his name, himself and his sons among the children of Israel.

5  For the Lord your God himself has chosen him out of all your tribes, so that he may stand and minister to the name of the Lord, him and his sons, forever.

18:6  And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourneth, and come with all the desire of his soul unto the place which YHWH shall choose;

6  If a Levite departs from one of the cities, throughout all of Israel, in which he lives, and if he wills and desires to go to the place which the Lord will choose,

18:7  then he shall minister in the name of YHWH his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, who stand there before the YHWH.

7  he shall minister in the name of the Lord his God, as do all his brothers, the Levites, who will be standing at that time in the sight of the Lord.

18:8  They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which is his due according to the fathers' houses.

8  He shall eat an allotted portion, besides the sale of his hereditary property.

8  He shall receive the same portion of food as the rest also receive, besides that which is due to him in his own city, by succession from his fathers.

18:9  When thou art come into the land which YHWH thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

9  When you will have entered into the land which the Lord your God will give to you, be careful that you are not willing to imitate the abominations of those nations.

18:10  There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one that useth divination, a soothsayer, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,

10  There shall not be found in thee one who purges his son or his daughter with fire, one who uses divination, who deals with omens, and augury,

10  Do not let there be found among you one who would purify his son or daughter by leading them through fire, nor one who consults seers, nor one who observes dreams or omens. Do not let there be found among you one who practices the occult,

18:11  or a charmer, or one that consulteth a ghost or a familiar spirit, or a necromancer.

11  a sorcerer employing incantation, one who has in him a divining spirit, and observer of signs, questioning the dead.

11  nor one who uses spells, nor one who consults demonic spirits, nor a diviner, nor one who seeks the truth from the dead.

18:12  For whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto YHWH; and because of these abominations the YHWH thy God is driving them out from before thee.

12  For the Lord abominates all these things. And, because of these wicked ways, he will destroy them at your arrival.

12  For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD God of you: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

18:13  Thou shalt be whole-hearted with YHWH thy God.

13  You shall be perfect and without blemish with the Lord your God.

18:14  For these nations, that thou art to dispossess, hearken unto soothsayers, and unto diviners; but as for thee, YHWH thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

14  For all these nations whose land thou shalt inherit, they will listen to omens and divinations; but the Lord thy God has not permitted thee so to do.

14  These nations, whose land you shall possess, they listen to soothsayers and diviners. But you have been otherwise instructed by the Lord your God.

18:15  A prophet will YHWH thy God raise up unto thee, from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

15  The Lord thy God shall raise up to thee a prophet of thy brethren, like me; him shall ye hear

15  The Lord your God will raise up for you a PROPHET from your nation and from your brothers, similar to me. You shall listen to him,

18:16  according to all that thou didst desire of YHWH thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying: 'Let me not hear again the voice of the YHWH my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.'

16  according to all things which thou didst desire of the Lord thy God in Choreb in the day of the assembly, saying, We will not again hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and we will not any more see this great fire, and so we shall not die.

16  just as you petitioned of the Lord your God at Horeb, when the assembly was gathered together, and you said: ‘Let me no longer hear the voice of the Lord my God, and let me no longer see this very great fire, lest I die.’

18:17  And YHWH said unto me: 'They have well said that which they have spoken.

17  And the Lord said to me, They have spoken rightly all that they have said to thee.

18:18  I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

18  I will raise up a prophet for them, from the midst of their brothers, similar to you. And I will place my words in his mouth, and he will speak to them all the things that I will instruct him.

18:19  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto My words which he shall speak in My name, I will require it of him.

18:20  But the prophet, that shall speak a word presumptuously in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.'

20  But if a prophet, having been corrupted by arrogance, chooses to speak, in my name, things which I did not instruct him to say, or to speak in the name of foreign gods, he shall be put to death.

18:21  And if thou say in thy heart: 'How shall we know the word which YHWH hath not spoken?'

21  But if thou shalt say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?

21  But if, in silent thought, you respond: “How will I be able to recognize a word which the Lord has not spoken?”

18:22  When a prophet speaketh in the name of YHWH, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the YHWH hath not spoken; the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him.

22  Whatsoever words that prophet shall speak in the name of the Lord, and they shall not come true, and not come to pass, this is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; that prophet has spoken wickedly: ye shall not spare him.

22  you shall have this sign. If whatever that prophet predicts in the name of the Lord does not happen, then the Lord has not spoken it. Instead, the prophet has formed it through the swelling of his own mind. And for this reason, you shall not fear him.’ ”

19:1  When YHWH thy God shall cut off the nations, whose land the YHWH thy God giveth thee, and thou dost succeed them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses;

1  And when the Lord thy God shall have destroyed the nations, which God gives thee, even the land, and ye shall inherit them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses,

1  “When the Lord your God will have destroyed the nations, whose land he will deliver to you, and when you possess it and live in its cities and buildings,

19:2  thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which YHWH thy GOD giveth thee to possess it.

2  you shall separate for yourselves three cities in the midst of the land, which the Lord will give to you as a possession,

2  You shall set apart for you three cities in the midst of your land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance.

19:3  Thou shalt prepare thee the way, and divide the borders of thy land, which YHWH thy God causeth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every manslayer may flee thither.

3  paving the road carefully. And you shall divide the entire province of your land equally into three parts, so that he who is forced to flee because of manslaughter may have a place nearby to which he may be able to escape.

19:4  And this is the case of the manslayer, that shall flee thither and live: whoso killeth his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in time past;

4  And this shall be the ordinance of the manslayer, who shall flee thither, and shall live, whosoever shall have smitten his neighbour ignorantly, whereas he hated him not in times past.

4  This shall be the law of the killer who flees, whose life is to be saved. Whoever strikes down his neighbor unwillingly, and who has been proven to have had no hatred against him yesterday and the day before,

19:5  as when a man goeth into the forest with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of these cities and live;

5  And whosoever shall enter with his neighbour into the thicket, to gather wood, if the hand of him that cuts wood with the axe should be violently shaken, and the axe head falling off from the handle should light on his neighbour, and he should die, he shall flee to one of these cities, and live.

5  such that he had gone with him into the forest simply to cut wood, and in cutting down the tree, the axe slipped from his hand, or the iron slipped from the handle, and it struck his friend and killed him: he shall flee to one of the cities stated above, and he shall live.

19:6  lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and smite him mortally; whereas he was not deserving of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.

6  Otherwise, perhaps the near relative of him whose blood was shed, impelled by his grief, might pursue and apprehend him, unless the way is too long, and he might strike down the life of him who is not guilty unto death, since he had demonstrated that he had no prior hatred against him who was slain.

19:7  Wherefore I command thee, saying: 'Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.'

7  Therefore I charge thee, saying, Thou shalt separate for thy self three cities.

7  For this reason, I instruct you to separate three cities at equal distance from one another.

19:8  And if YHWH thy God enlarge thy border, as He hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which He promised to give unto thy fathers--

8  And if the Lord shall enlarge thy borders, as he sware to thy fathers, and the Lord shall give to thee all the land which he said he would give to thy fathers;

8  And when the Lord your God will have enlarged your borders, just as he swore to your fathers, and when he will have given to you all the land that he has promised to them,

19:9  if thou shalt keep all this commandment to do it, which I command thee this day, to love YHWH thy God, and to walk ever in His ways--then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three;

9  (but this is only so if you will keep his commandments and do the things which I instruct to you this day, so that you love the Lord your God, and walk in his ways at all times) you shall add for yourselves three other cities, and so you shall double the number of the three cities stated above.

9  If you shall keep all these commandments to do them, which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in his ways always; then you shall add three cities more for you besides these three;

19:10  that innocent blood be not shed in the midst of thy land, which YHWH thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.

10  So innocent blood shall not be spilt in the land, which the Lord thy God gives thee to inherit, and there shall not be in thee one guilty of blood.

10  So may innocent blood not be shed in the midst of the land which the Lord your God will give you to possess, lest you be guilty of blood.

19:11  But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die; and he flee into one of these cities;

11  But if there should be in thee a man hating his neighbour, and he should lay wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him, that he die, and he should flee to one of these cities,

11  But if anyone, having hatred for his neighbor, will have lain in ambush for his life, and, rising up, will have struck him, and he will have died, and if he will have fled to one of the cities stated above,

19:12  then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.

12  the elders of his city shall send, and they shall take him from the place of refuge, and they shall deliver him into the hand of the relative of him whose blood was shed, and he shall die.

19:13  Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the blood of the innocent from Israel, that it may go well with thee.

13  You shall not take pity on him, and so shall you take away the blood of the innocent from Israel, so that it may be well with you.

13  Your eyes shall not pity him, but you shall kill him, and thus purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with you.

19:14  Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of old time have set, in thine inheritance which thou shalt inherit, in the land that YHWH thy God giveth thee to possess it.

14  You shall not take up or move the landmark of your neighbor, which those before you have placed, in your possession that the Lord your God will give to you, in the land you will receive to possess.

14  You shall not remove your neighbor's landmark, which they of old time have set in your inheritance, which you shall inherit in the land that the LORD your God gives you to possess.

19:15  One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth; at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be establishment

15  One witness shall not stand against another, no matter what the sin or outrage may be. For every word shall stand by the mouth of two or three witnesses.

15  A single witness shall not rise up against a man for any offense, or for any crime, in whatever offense or crime he may commit; on the testimony of two witnesses, or on the testimony of three witnesses, shall a charge be established.

19:16  If an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to bear perverted witness against him;

16  And if a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;

19:17  then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before YHWH, before the priests and the judges that shall be in those days.

17  then shall the two men between whom the controversy is, stand before the Lord, and before the priests, and before the judges, who may be in those days.

17  both of those whose case it is shall stand before the Lord in the sight of the priests and the judges who shall be in those days.

19:18  And the judges shall inquire diligently; and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;

18  And the judges shall make diligent inquiry, and, behold, if and unjust witness has borne unjust testimony; and has stood up against his brother;

18  And when, after a very diligent examination, they will have found that the false witness had told a lie against his brother,

19:19  then shall ye do unto him, as he had purposed to do unto his brother; so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee.

19:20  And those that remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil in the midst of thee.

20  Then the others, upon hearing this, will be afraid, and they will by no means dare to do such things.

19:21  And thine eye shall not pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

21  You shall not take pity on him. Instead, you shall require a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot.”

20:1  When thou goest forth to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, thou shalt not be afraid of them; for YHWH thy God is with thee, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

1  “If you go out to battle against your enemies, and you see horsemen and chariots, and that the multitude of your adversary’s army is greater than your own, you shall not fear them. For the Lord your God, who led you away from the land of Egypt, is with you.

20:2  And it shall be, when ye draw nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,

2  Then, as the battle now draws near, the priest shall stand before the front ranks, and he shall speak to the people in this manner

2  And when you come near to the battle, the priest shall approach and speak to the people,

20:3  and shall say unto them: 'Hear, O Israel, ye draw nigh this day unto battle against your enemies; let not your heart faint; fear not, nor be alarmed, neither be ye affrighted at them;

3  Hear, O Israel; ye are going this day to battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint, fear not, neither be confounded, neither turn aside from their face.

3  ‘Listen, O Israel! Today you engage in a battle against your enemies. Do not let your heart be overwhelmed with fear. Do not be apprehensive. Do not yield. You should have no dread of them.

20:4  for YHWH your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.'

4  For the Lord your God is in your midst, and he will contend against your enemies on your behalf, so that he may rescue you from peril.’

20:5  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.

5  Likewise, the officers shall proclaim, throughout every company, in the hearing of the soldiers: ‘What man is there who has built a new house, and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest perhaps he may die in the battle, and another man may dedicate it.

20:6  And what man is there that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not used the fruit thereof? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use the fruit thereof.

6  What man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not yet caused it to be common, so that all may eat from it? Let him go, and return to his house, lest perhaps he may die in the battle, and another man may carry out his office.

20:7  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.'

7  What man is there, who has betrothed a wife, and has not taken her? Let him go, and return to his house, lest perhaps he may die in battle, and another man may take her.’

20:8  And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say: 'What man is there that is fearful and faint-hearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart melt as his heart.'

8  And the scribes shall speak further to the people, and say, What man is he that fears and is cowardly in his heart? Let him go and return to his house, lest he make the heart of his brother fail, as his own.

8  After these things have been declared, they shall add the remainder, and shall say to the people: ‘What man is there who is overwhelmed by fear and is fainthearted? Let him go, and return to his house, lest he cause the hearts of his brothers to fear, just as he himself has been thoroughly stricken with fear.’

20:9  And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that captains of hosts shall be appointed at the head of the people.

9  And when the officers of the army have become silent, and have completed their speech, each one shall prepare his unit to wage war.

9  And when the scribes have made an end of speaking to the people, the commanders of the army shall stand at the head of the people.

20:10  When thou drawest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.

10  And if thou shalt draw nigh to a city to overcome them by war, then call them out peaceably.

10  When, at any time, you approach a city to fight against it, you shall first offer peace to it.

20:11  And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that are found therein shall become tributary unto thee, and shall serve thee.

11  If then they should answer peaceably to thee, and open to thee, it shall be that all the people found in it shall be tributary and subject to thee.

11  And if the city give you answer of peace, and it open to you, then all the people who are found in it shall be servants and tributaries to you, and they shall serve you.

20:12  And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it.

12  But if they are not willing to enter into an agreement, and they begin to act against you in warfare, then you shall besiege it.

12  But if it will not surrender to you, but will make war with you, then you shall besiege it;

20:13  And when YHWH thy God delivereth it into thy hand, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword;

13  until the Lord thy God shall deliver it into thy hands, and thou shalt smite every male of it with the edge of the sword

13  And when the Lord your God will have delivered it into your hands, you shall strike down anyone who is in it, of the male gender, with the edge of the sword,

20:14  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 for a prey unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which YHWH thy God hath given thee.

14  except the women and the stuff: and all the cattle, and whatsoever shall be in the city, and all the plunder thou shalt take as spoil for thyself, and shalt eat all the plunder of thine enemies whom the Lord thy God gives thee.

14  but not the women and young children, nor the cattle and the other things that are within the city. And you shall divide all the plunder to the soldiers, and you shall eat the spoils from your enemies, which the Lord your God will give to you.

20:15  Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.

15  Thus shalt thou do to all the cities that are very far off from thee, not being of the cities of these nations which the Lord thy God gives thee to inherit their land.

15  So shall you do to all the cities which are at a great distance from you, those which are not among the cities that you shall receive as a possession.

20:16  Howbeit of the cities of these peoples, that YHWH thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth,

16  Of these ye shall not take any thing alive;

16  But among those cities which shall be given to you, you shall not permit anyone at all to live.

20:17  but thou shalt utterly destroy them: the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; as YHWH thy God hath commanded thee;

17  Instead, you shall put them to death with the edge of the sword, specifically: the Hittite and the Amorite and the Canaanite, the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the Lord your God has commanded you.

20:18  that they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods, and so ye sin against YHWH your God.

18  Otherwise, they may teach you to do all the abominations which they have committed for their own gods. And then you would sin against the Lord your God.

18  That they may not teach you to do after all their abominations, which they have done in worshipping their gods; so you should sin in the sight of the LORD your God.

20:19  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 wielding an axe against them; for thou mayest eat of them, but thou shalt not cut them down; for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged of thee?

19  When you will have besieged a city for a long time, and you will have encircled it with fortifications, so that you may fight against it, you shall not cut down trees from which one is able to eat, neither shall you cause devastation with axes to the surrounding region. For it is a tree, and not a man. It is not able to increase the number of those who are fighting against you.

20:20  Only the trees of which thou knowest that they are not trees for food, them thou mayest destroy and cut down, that thou mayest build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it fall.

20  But the tree which thou knowest to be not fruit-bearing, this thou shalt destroy and cut down; and thou shalt construct a mound against the city, which makes war against thee, until it be delivered up.