Concerning War
1 “When you go out to fight against your enemies and you see chariots and horses and an army that outnumbers yours, do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who rescued you from Egypt, will be with you. 2 Before you start fighting, a priest is to come forward and say to the army, 3 ‘Men of Israel, listen! Today you are going into battle. Do not be afraid of your enemies or lose courage or panic. 4 The Lord your God is going with you, and he will give you victory.’
5 “Then the officers will address the men and say, ‘Is there any man here who has just built a house, but has not yet dedicated it? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, if he is killed in battle, someone else will dedicate his house. 6 Is there any man here who has just planted a vineyard, but has not yet had the chance to harvest its grapes? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, if he is killed in battle, someone else will enjoy the wine. 7 Is there anyone here who is engaged to be married? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, if he is killed in battle, someone else will marry the woman he is engaged to.’
8 “The officers will also say to the men, ‘Is there any man here who has lost his nerve and is afraid? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, he will destroy the morale of the others.’ 9 When the officers have finished speaking to the army, leaders are to be chosen for each unit.
10 “When you go to attack a city, first give its people a chance to surrender. 11 If they open the gates and surrender, they are all to become your slaves and do forced labor for you. 12 But if the people of that city will not surrender, but choose to fight, surround it with your army. 13 Then, when the Lord your God lets you capture the city, kill every man in it. 14 You may, however, take for yourselves the women, the children, the livestock, and everything else in the city. You may use everything that belongs to your enemies. The Lord has given it to you. 15 That is how you are to deal with those cities that are far away from the land you will settle in.
16 “But when you capture cities in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, kill everyone. 17 Completely destroy all the people: the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, as the Lord ordered you to do. 18 Kill them, so that they will not make you sin against the Lord by teaching you to do all the disgusting things that they do in the worship of their gods.
19 “When you are trying to capture a city, do not cut down its fruit trees, even though the siege lasts a long time. Eat the fruit, but do not destroy the trees; the trees are not your enemies. 20 You may cut down the other trees and use them in the siege mounds until the city is captured.
Likumi par došanos karā
1 Kad tu iesi karā pret saviem ienaidniekiem un redzēsi vairāk zirgu, ratu un ļaužu nekā tev, tad nebaidies no tiem, jo Kungs, tavs Dievs, ir ar tevi – viņš tevi izveda no Ēģiptes zemes! 2 Kad dosieties karā, lai nāk priesteris un runā uz tautu, 3 lai saka viņiem: klausies, Israēl! Šodien jūs dodaties karā pret saviem ienaidniekiem – lai jūsu sirdis neļimst, nebaidieties, netrīciet un netrūkstieties no tiem! 4 Kungs, jūsu Dievs, kopā ar jums iet par jums karot ar jūsu ienaidniekiem, lai glābtu jūs! 5 Lai virsnieki runā uz tautu un saka: kurš vīrs ir uzcēlis jaunu namu un to nav iesvētījis? Lai tas dodas atpakaļ uz savu namu, ka nekrīt karā un to neiesvēta kāds cits! 6 Un kurš vīrs ir iestādījis vīnadārzu un nav līksmojis par to? Lai tas dodas atpakaļ uz savu namu, ka nekrīt karā un par to nelīksmo kāds cits! 7 Un kurš vīrs ir saderinājies ar sievu un nav to apņēmis? Lai tas dodas atpakaļ uz savu namu, ka nekrīt karā un to neapņem kāds cits! 8 Un lai virsnieki runā uz tautu tālāk un saka: kurš ir tas vīrs, kas bailīgs un kam dreb sirds?! Lai tas dodas atpakaļ uz savu namu, ka viņa brāļu sirdis nepārbīstas tāpat kā viņējā! 9 Kad virsnieki beigs runāt uz tautu, tad par tautas vadītājiem lai tiek iecelti pulka virsnieki.
10 Kad tu tuvosies kādai pilsētai, lai ar to karotu, tad piedāvā tai mieru. 11 Ja tā tev atbild ar mieru, atdara tev savus vārtus, tad visi ļaudis, kas tajā, lai kļūst tev par klaušiniekiem un vergo tev. 12 Bet, ja tā neatbild ar mieru un sāk ar tevi karu, tad aplenc to, un 13 Kungs, tavs Dievs, atdos to tev, un tu ar zobenu apkausi visus tās vīrus! 14 Gūsti sev laupījumā sievas, bērnus, lopus un visu, kas pilsētā laupāms, ēd saviem ienaidniekiem nolaupīto, ko tev devis Kungs, tavs Dievs. 15 Tā dari ar tām pilsētām, kas no tevis ļoti tālu, kas nav šo tautu pilsētas; 16 šo tautu pilsētās, ko Kungs, tavs Dievs, dod tev mantojumā, lai nepaliek dzīvs neviens, kam dvaša! 17 Iznīdēt tev ir jāiznīdē hetieši, amorieši, kanaānieši, perizieši, hivieši un jebūsieši, kā Kungs, tavs Dievs, tev pavēlējis! 18 Tas tādēļ, lai tie jums nemācītu darīt visas savas preteklības, ko tie darījuši saviem dieviem, ka jūs negrēkotu pret Kungu, savu Dievu!
19 Ja tu karodams ilgi aplenc pilsētu, lai sagrābtu to, tad nenoposti tās kokus, nevēzē cirvi pret tiem, ēd no tiem, necērt tos, jo vai tad lauka koki ir cilvēki, kas no tevis patversies viņpus mūriem? 20 Noposti un nocērt tikai tos kokus, par kuriem tu zini, ka no tiem nevar ēst, un cel aplenkuma sastatnes ap pilsētu, kas karo ar tevi, līdz tā krīt!
