Deuteronomy 20 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army bigger than yours, don't be afraid of them — because Yahweh your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, is with you.

When you're about to go into battle, the priest will step forward and address the troops.

He'll say to them: 'Listen up, Israel! You're about to go into battle against your enemies today. Don't lose heart. Don't be afraid. Don't panic or be terrified of them.'

'Because Yahweh your God is the one marching with you, fighting for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.'

Then the officers will address the troops: 'Has anyone here built a new house but hasn't dedicated it yet? Go home — so you don't die in battle and someone else dedicates it.'

'Has anyone planted a vineyard but hasn't yet enjoyed its fruit? Go home — so you don't die in battle and someone else enjoys it.'

'Has anyone gotten engaged to a woman but hasn't married her yet? Go home — so you don't die in battle and someone else marries her.'

The officers will also say: 'Is anyone here afraid or losing courage? Go home — so the rest of the troops don't lose courage too.'

When the officers finish addressing the troops, they'll appoint army commanders to lead them.

When you approach a city to attack it, first offer them peace.

If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates, then everyone inside will become your forced laborers and serve you.

But if they refuse your offer of peace and choose to fight you, then lay siege to the city.

When Yahweh your God hands it over to you, strike down every male with the sword.

But the women, children, livestock, and everything else in the city — all the plunder — you may take for yourselves. You may use what Yahweh your God gives you from your enemies.

This is how you'll deal with all the cities that are far from you—the ones that don't belong to the peoples here in this land.

But in the cities of the peoples that Yahweh your God is giving you as an inheritance, don't leave anything alive that breathes.

You must completely destroy them — the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites — just as Yahweh your God commanded you.

This is so they won't teach you to imitate all the disgusting things they do for their gods — which would make you act unfaithfully against Yahweh your God.

When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting to capture it, don't destroy its trees by taking an axe to them. You can eat their fruit, so don't cut them down. Are the trees of the field people, that you should besiege them too?

Only trees you know don't produce food — those you may destroy and cut down. Use them to build siege works against the city that's fighting you, until it falls.