Deuteronomy 20
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
2And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
3And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;
4For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
5And 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.
6And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.
7And 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.
8And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart.
9And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.
10When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.
11And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
12And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:
13And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:
14But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.
15Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
16But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:
17But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:
18That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.
19When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down(for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege:
20Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- לֹאlôʼH380812× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH83412× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- כִּיkîyH35889× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- אֵלʼêlH4139× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- אֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîymH4308× in this chapter
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
- מִלְחָמָהmilchâmâhH44218× in this chapter
a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare)
- עַםʻamH59718× in this chapter
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
- אֵתʼêthH8538× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
- יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâhH30687× in this chapter
Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
- כֹּלkôlH36057× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- אִישׁʼîyshH3767× in this chapter
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
- עִירʻîyrH58927× in this chapter
a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
- עַלʻalH59217× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- הָיָהhâyâhH19616× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- עִםʻimH59736× in this chapter
adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)
- בַּיִתbayithH10045× in this chapter
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
- הָלַךְhâlakH19805× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH62135× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
- דָבַרdâbarH16964× in this chapter
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
- אֹיֵבʼôyêbH3414× in this chapter
hating; an adversary
- לֵבָבlêbâbH38244× in this chapter
the heart (as the most interior organ);
- אַלʼalH4084× in this chapter
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
- מִיmîyH43104× in this chapter
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
- עֵץʻêtsH60864× in this chapter
a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks)
- שׁוּבshûwbH77254× in this chapter
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
- אַחֵרʼachêrH3123× in this chapter
properly, hinder; generally, next, other, etc.
- לָחַםlâchamH38983× in this chapter
to feed on; figuratively, to consume; by implication, to battle (as destruction)
- מוּתmûwthH41913× in this chapter
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
- מִןminH44803× in this chapter
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
- נָתַןnâthanH54143× in this chapter
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
- אָמַרʼâmarH5593× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- פֵּןpênH64353× in this chapter
properly, removal; used only (in the construction) adverb as conjunction, lest
- רַקraqH75353× in this chapter
properly, leanness, i.e. (figuratively) limitation; only adverbial, merely, or conjunctional, although
- שֹׁטֵרshôṭêrH78603× in this chapter
properly, a scribe, i.e. (by analogy or implication) an official superintendent or magistrate
- בָּנָהbânâhH11292× in this chapter
to build (literally and figuratively)
- הוּאhûwʼH19312× in this chapter
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
- חָלַלchâlalH24902× in this chapter
properly, to bore, i.e. (by implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin (as if by an 'opening wedge'); to play (the flute)
- חָנַךְchânakH25962× in this chapter
properly, to narrow; figuratively, to initiate or discipline
- חָרַםchâramH27632× in this chapter
to seclude; specifically (by a ban) to devote to religious uses (especially destruction); physical and reflexive, to be blunt as to the nose
- יוֹםyôwmH31172× in this chapter
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)