Deuteronomy
20 from
Scroll 4Q33
Deuteronomyf
1 When
you go out to battle
against your enemies, and see horses, chariots, and a people
more than you, you shall not be afraid of them; for Yahweh your God is with
you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
2 It shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest
shall approach and speak to the people, 3 and shall tell them, “Hear,
Israe l, 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;
4 for Yahweh your God is he who goes with you, to fight for you against your
enemies, to save you.”
5 The
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. 6 What 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.
Deuteronomy
20 from Scroll 4Q36 Deuteronomyi
9 It
shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they
shall appoint captains of armies at the head of the people.
10 When
you draw near to a city to fight against it, then
proclaim peace to it.
11 It shall be, if it makes you answer of peace, and opens to you, then it shall be, that all the people who are found therein shall become forced
laborers to you, and shall serve you. 12 If it will make no peace with you, but will make war against you, then you shall besiege it.
13 When Yahweh your God delivers it
into your hand, you shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword;
Deuteronomy 20 from Scroll 4Q38a Deuteronomyk2
6 What
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. 7 What man is there who has pledged to be married 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.” 8 The officers
judges 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.” 9 It shall
be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall
appoint captains of armies at the head of the people.
10 And when you draw near to a
city to fight against it, then proclaim peace to it. 11 It shall be, if it makes you answer of peace, and
opens to you, then it shall be, that all
the people who are found therein shall become forced laborers to you, and shall
serve you. 12 If it will make no
peace with you, but
will make war against you, then you shall besiege it. 13 When
Yahweh your God delivers it into your hand, you
shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword; 14 but 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 Yahweh your God has given you.
15 Thus you shall do to all the
cities which are very far off from you, which are not of the cities of these
nations. 16 But of the cities of these peoples, that Yahweh your God gives
you for an inheritance, you shall
save alive nothing that breathes; 17 but you shall utterly destroy them:
the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the
Perizzite, the Hivite, and the
Jebusite; as Yahweh your God has commanded you; 18 that they not teach you
to follow all their abominations, which
they have done to their gods; so would you sin against Yahweh your God.
19 When 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 ax 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?