Going to War
1When you go to war against your enemies, you might see that they have horses and chariots. They might even have an army stronger than yours. But don’t be afraid of them. The Lord your God will be with you. After all, he brought you up out of Egypt. 2Just before you go into battle, the priest will come forward. He’ll speak to the army. 3He’ll say, “Men of Israel, listen to me. Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Don’t be scared. Don’t be afraid. Don’t panic or be terrified by them. 4The Lord your God is going with you. He’ll fight for you. He’ll help you win the battle over your enemies.”
5The officers will speak to the army. They will say, “Has anyone built a new house and not started to live in it? Let him go home. If he doesn’t, he might die in battle. Then someone else will live in his house. 6Has anyone planted a vineyard and not started to enjoy it? Let him go home. If he doesn’t, he might die in battle. Then someone else will enjoy his vineyard. 7Has anyone promised to be married to a woman but hasn’t done it yet? Let him go home. If he doesn’t, he might die in battle. Then someone else will marry her.” 8The officers will continue, “Is anyone afraid or scared? Let him go home. Then the other soldiers won’t lose hope too.” 9The officers will finish speaking to the army. When they do, they’ll appoint commanders over it.
10Suppose you march up to attack a city. Before you attack it, offer to make peace with its people. 11Suppose they accept your offer and open their gates. Then force all the people in the city to be your slaves. They will have to work for you. 12But suppose they refuse your offer of peace and prepare for battle. Then surround that city. Get ready to attack it. 13The Lord your God will hand it over to you. When he does, kill all the men with your swords. 14But you can take the women and children for yourselves. You can also take the livestock and everything else in the city. What you have captured from your enemies you can use for yourselves. The Lord your God has given it to you. 15That’s how you must treat all the cities far away from you. Those cities don’t belong to the nations that are nearby.
16But what about the cities the Lord your God is giving you as your own? Kill everything that breathes in those cities. 17Completely destroy them. Wipe out the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. That’s what the Lord your God commanded you to do. 18If you don’t destroy them, they’ll teach you to do all the things the Lord hates. He hates the way they worship their gods. If you do those things, you will sin against the Lord your God.
19Suppose you surround a city and get ready to attack it. And suppose you fight against it for a long time in order to capture it. Then don’t chop down its trees and destroy them. You can eat their fruit. So don’t cut them down. Are the trees people? So why should you attack them? 20But you can cut down trees that you know aren’t fruit trees. You can build war machines out of their wood. You can use them until you capture the city you are fighting against.
Kwenda Vitani
120:1 Za 20:7; Isa 31:1; Hes 14:9; Kum 3:22; 1Sam 17:45; Isa 41:10; 2Nya 32:7-8; Hes 23:21; Kum 31:6, 8; 2Nya 13:12; 32:7, 8Mtakapokwenda vitani kupigana na adui zenu na mkaona farasi na magari ya vita na jeshi kubwa kuliko lenu, msiwaogope, kwa sababu Bwana Mungu wenu aliyewatoa kutoka Misri, atakuwa pamoja nanyi. 2Wakati mtakapokaribia kwenda vitani, kuhani atakuja mbele na kuhutubia jeshi. 320:3 1Sam 17:32; Ay 23:16; Za 22:14; Isa 7:4; 35:4; Yer 51:46Atasema: “Sikia, ee Israeli, leo unakwenda vitani kupigana na adui zako. Usife moyo wala usiogope, usitishwe wala usitiwe hofu mbele yao. 420:4 2Nya 20:14-22; Kut 14:14; 1Nya 5:22; Neh 4:20; Amu 12:3; 15:18; Za 44:7; 144:10; Kum 1:30Kwa kuwa Bwana Mungu wenu ndiye huenda pamoja nanyi kuwapigania dhidi ya adui zenu na kuwapatia ushindi.”
520:5 Neh 12:27Maafisa wataliambia jeshi: “Je, kuna yeyote aliyejenga nyumba mpya ambayo haijawekwa wakfu? Yeye na arudi nyumbani, ama sivyo anaweza kufa vitani na mtu mwingine akaiweka wakfu. 620:6 Yer 31:5; Eze 28:26; Mik 1:6; 1Kor 9:7Je, kuna yeyote aliyepanda shamba la mizabibu na hajaanza kulifurahia? Yeye na arudi nyumbani, au sivyo anaweza kufa vitani na mtu mwingine akalifurahia. 720:7 Kum 24:5; Mit 5:18Je, kuna yeyote aliyeposa mwanamke na hajamwoa? Yeye na arudi nyumbani, ama sivyo anaweza kufa vitani na mtu mwingine akamwoa.” 820:8 Amu 7:3Kisha maafisa wataongeza haya, “Je, kuna mtu anayeogopa ama kufa moyo? Yeye na arudi nyumbani ili ndugu zake nao wasije wakafa moyo pia.” 9Wakati maafisa watakapomaliza kuzungumza na jeshi, watawateua wakuu wa vikosi.
1020:10 Kum 2:26; Lk 14:31-32; 2Sam 20:18-20Wakati mtakapokwenda kushambulia mji, wapeni watu wake masharti ya amani. 1120:11 2Fal 6:22; 1Fal 9:21; 1Nya 22:2; Isa 31:7Wakikubali na kuwafungulia malango yao, watu wake wote watawatumikia kwa kufanya kazi ngumu na watawatumikia. 12Ikiwa watakataa kufanya mapatano ya amani na wakiwaingiza katika vita, basi mtauzunguka mji huo kwa vita. 1320:13 Hes 31:7Wakati Bwana Mungu wenu atakapouweka mji huo mkononi mwenu, waueni kwa upanga wanaume wote waliomo ndani yake. 1420:14 Yos 8:2; 22:8; Hes 31:11; 31:53Kwa upande wa wanawake, watoto, mifugo na kila kitu kingine chochote ndani ya huo mji, mnaweza kuvichukua kama nyara kwa ajili yenu. Nanyi mnaweza kuzitumia hizo nyara ambazo Bwana Mungu wenu amewapa kutoka kwa adui zenu. 1520:15 Yos 9:9Hivi ndivyo mtakavyofanya kwa miji yote ambayo iko mbali nanyi, ambayo haimilikiwi na mataifa ya karibu.
1620:16 Kut 23:31-33; Hes 21:2-3; Kum 7:2; Yos 6:21; 10:1; 11:14Hata hivyo, katika miji ya mataifa ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu anawapa kama urithi, msiache kitu chochote hai kinachopumua. 17Waangamizeni kabisa Wahiti, Waamori, Wakanaani, Waperizi, Wahivi na Wayebusi, kama Bwana Mungu wenu alivyowaamuru. 1820:18 Kut 34:16; 10:7; 23:33; Kum 12:30-31; Yos 23:12-13; 1Kor 15:33; 2Fal 21:3, 15; Za 106:34-41; Hos 8:11La sivyo, watawafundisha kufuata mambo yote ya machukizo wanayofanya wakiabudu miungu yao, nanyi mtatenda dhambi dhidi ya Bwana Mungu wenu.
19Wakati mtakapouzunguka mji kwa vita kwa muda mrefu, mkipigana dhidi yake ili kuuteka, msiharibu miti yake kwa kuikata kwa shoka, kwa sababu mtaweza kula matunda yake. Hivyo msiikate. Je, miti hiyo ya mashambani ni watu, hata muizingire? 20Hata hivyo, mnaweza kuikata miti ambayo sio miti ya matunda na kuitumia kujenga ngome, mpaka mji ulio katika vita na ninyi utakapoanguka.
