1   If thou goe forth to warre against thyne enemies, and see the horse men and chariottes, and the multitude of the aduersaries hoste greater then thou hast, thou shalt not feare them: because the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee out of the Land of Ægypt.

2   And when the battel is now at hand, the priest shal stand before the armie, and shal speake to the people thus:

3   Heare Israel, you this day ioyne battel against your enemies, let not your hart feare, be not

Preceptes and Iudgementes. affrayd, retire not, neither dread them:

4   because our Lord your God is in the middes of you, and wil fight for you against your aduersaries, to deliuer you from danger.

5   The Captaines also through euerie bande in the hearing of the hoste shal proclaime: ^note what man is there, that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him goe, and returne into his house, lest perhaps he die in the battel, and an other dedicate it.

6   What man is there that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not as yet made it to be common, wherof al men may lawfully eate? let him goe, and returne into his house: lest perhaps he die in the battel, and an other man execute his office.

7   What man is there, that hath despoused a wife, and not taken her? let him goe, and returne into his house, lest perhaps he die in the warre, and an other take her.

8   These thinges being said they shal adde the rest, and shal speake to the people: What man is there feareful, and fainte harted? let him goe, and returne into his house, lest he make the hartes of his brethren to feare, as him selfe is frighted with feare.

9   And when the Captaines of the host shal hold their peace, and make an end of speaking, euerie man shal prepare their bandes to fight.

10   If at anie time thou come to winne a citie, thou shalt first offer peace.

11   If they receiue it, and open the gates to thee, al the people that is therein, shal be saued, and shal serue thee vnder tribute.

12   But if they wil not make peace, and shal beginne battel against thee, thou shalt assalt it.

13   And when our Lord thy God shal deliuer it into thy hand, thou shalt strike al, that is therein of the male sexe, in the edge of the sword,

14   excepting wemen and children, the cattel and other thinges, that are in the citie. Al the praye thou shalt diuide to the armie, and thou shalt eate of the spoiles of thine enemies, which our Lord thy God shal geue thee.

15   So shalt thou doe to al cities, that be verie farre from thee, and be not of these cities, which thou shalt receiue in possession.

16   But of those cities, that shal be geuen thee, thou shalt suffer none at al to liue:

17   but shalt kil them in the edge of the sword, to witte, the Hetheite, and Amorrheite, and Chananeite, the Pherezeite, and Heueite, and Iebuseite, as our Lord thy God hath commanded thee:

18   lest perhaps they teach you to doe al the abominations, which them selues did worke to their goddes: and you sinne against our Lord your God.

19   When thou hast

Preceptes and Iudgementes. besieged a citie a long time, and hast compassed it with munition to winne it, thou shalt not cutte downe the trees, that may be eaten of, neither shalt thou spoile the countrie round about with axes: because it is a tree, and not a man, neither can it increase the number of warryers against thee.

20   But if there be any trees not fruitful, but wilde, and apt for other vses, cutte them downe, and make engines, vntil thou take the citie, which fighteth against thee.

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