Deuteronomy 20

When 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.

When you face battles against overwhelming odds, don't let fear grip you. Remember, your God, who led you out of Egypt, is right there with you.

And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,

As you stand on the brink of battle, the priest will step forward and address you all.

And 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;

Listen, Israel, as you face your enemies in battle today, don't let fear grip your hearts. Stay strong, don't tremble or be scared of them.

For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

Your God, the LORD, is always by your side. He battles your foes and ensures your safety.

And 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.

The leaders will ask the people, "Is there anyone who has built a new home but hasn't celebrated it yet? If so, let him go home. We don't want him to risk his life in battle, only for someone else to enjoy his home."

And 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.

If a man has planted a vineyard but hasn't tasted its fruit yet, let him go home. He shouldn't risk dying in battle and letting another enjoy his labor.

And 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.

If a man is engaged but not yet married, let him go home. It's better he doesn't die in battle, leaving his fiancée to be with another man.

And 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.

The leaders will then ask the crowd, "Is anyone here scared or lacking courage? If so, please go home. We don't want your fear to spread to others."

And 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.

Once the officers finish addressing the people, they will appoint brave leaders to guide the armies.

When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.

When you approach a city ready for battle, first offer it peace.

And 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.

If they respond peacefully and welcome you, then everyone living there will serve and support you.

And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:

If it refuses peace and chooses war, then you must lay siege to it.

And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:

When God hands the city over to you, you must put every male in it to the sword.

But 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.

Take for yourself all that is in the city - the women, children, cattle, and all possessions. Enjoy the fruits of your victory, a gift from the Lord your God.

Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.

This is how you are to treat all the cities far away from you, the ones that don't belong to the nations here.

But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:

In the lands that the Lord your God gifts you, spare no living creature.

But 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:

You must completely eliminate these groups: the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. This is a direct order from your God.

That 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.

This is so that they cannot teach you to copy all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so lead you to sin against your own God.

When 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:

When you're at war, laying siege to a city for a long time, don't destroy its trees by hacking them down with axes. You can eat their fruit, but don't cut them down. After all, a tree in the field is a source of life, not a tool for war.

Only 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.

Only destroy the trees you know don't bear fruit. Use them to build siege works against the city that is at war with you, until it falls.