Ch 20 / 34~3 min
Devarim

Chapter 20

Do Not Fear, Adonai Goes Before You

The priest speaking courage before battle — 'YHWH your Elohim is he who goes with you' — foreshadows Yeshua's promise: 'I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'

  1. Laws of Warfare — Trust Elohim

    When you go to battle and see horses and chariots, do not be afraid. The Elohim who brought you out of Egypt is with you. The Father fights for His people.

  2. 1When 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 YHWH your Elohim, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, is with you.
  3. 2It shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people,
  4. 3and 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;
  5. 4for YHWH your Elohim is he who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”
  6. 5The 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.
  7. 6What 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.
  8. 7What 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.”
  9. 8The 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.”
  10. 9It shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall appoint captains of armies at the head of the people.
  11. Offering Peace Before Battle

    Before attacking a city, offer peace. Elohim's preferred outcome is always reconciliation. War is the last resort, not the first — the Father is merciful even in conflict.

  12. 10When you draw near to a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace to it.
  13. 11It 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 labourers to you, and shall serve you.
  14. 12If it will make no peace with you, but will make war against you, then you shall besiege it.
  15. 13When YHWH your Elohim delivers it into your hand, you shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword;
  16. 14but 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 YHWH your Elohim has given you.
  17. 15Thus you shall do to all the cities which are very far off from you, which are not of the cities of these nations.
  18. 16But of the cities of these peoples that YHWH your Elohim gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes;
  19. 17but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, as YHWH your Elohim has commanded you;
  20. 18that they not teach you to follow all their abominations, which they have done for their gods; so would you sin against YHWH your Elohim.
  21. Do Not Destroy the Fruit Trees

    Even in war, don't cut down fruit trees. The land and its produce are gifts from Elohim. The Father values creation and calls even warriors to steward it wisely.

  22. 19When 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 axe 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?
  23. 20Only 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.
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