Chapter 20

1When you go out to war against your enemies, and you see horse and chariot, a people more numerous than you, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord, your God is with you Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.   אכִּֽי־תֵצֵ֨א לַמִּלְחָמָ֜ה עַל־אֹֽיְבֶ֗ךָ וְרָאִ֜יתָ ס֤וּס וָרֶ֨כֶב֙ עַ֚ם רַ֣ב מִמְּךָ֔ לֹ֥א תִירָ֖א מֵהֶ֑ם כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ הַמַּֽעַלְךָ֖ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
When you go out to war. Scripture juxtaposes the departure for war alongside this [“eye for eye etc.”] to teach us that a person with a missing limb does not go out to war. - [Sifrei] Another explanation: It teaches that if you execute righteous judgment, you can be sure that when you depart for war you will be victorious. Similarly, David says, “I performed justice and righteousness; do not leave me to my oppressors” (Ps. 119: 121). - [Tanchuma]   כִּֽי־תֵצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה.  סָמַךְ הַכָּתוּב יְצִיאַת מִלְחָמָה לְכָאן, לוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁאֵין מְחֻסַּר אֵבֶר יוֹצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה (עי' ספרי); דָּבָר אַחֵר, לוֹמַר לְךָ אִם עָשִׂיתָ מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק, אַתָּה מֻבְטָח שֶׁאִם תֵּצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה אַתָּה נוֹצֵחַ, וְכֵן דָוִד הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהילים קי"ט) עָשִׂיתִי מִשְׁפָּט וָצֶדֶק בַּל תַּנִּיחֵנִי לְעוֹשְׁקָי (תנחומא):
against your enemies. Let them be in your eyes as enemies; have no pity on them, for they will have no pity upon you.   עַל־אֹֽיְבֶךָ.  יִהְיוּ בְּעֵינֶיךָ כְּאוֹיְבִים, אַל תְּרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם כִּי לֹא יְרַחֲמוּ עָלֶיךָ:
horse and chariot. In My eyes, they are all like one horse. Similarly, it says, “and you shall strike Midian as one man.” (Jud. 6:16) And similarly, it says, “When Pharaoh’s horse… came [into the sea]” (Exod. 15:19). - [Sifrei]   סוּס וָרֶכֶב.  בְּעֵינַי כֻּלָּם כְּסוּס אֶחָד, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שופטים ו') וְהִכִּיתָ אֶת מִדְיָן כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות ט"ו) כִּי בָא סוּס פַּרְעֹה (עי' ספרי):
a people more numerous than you. In your eyes, they are numerous, but in My eyes, they are not numerous. — [Sifrei]   עַם רַב מִמְּךָ.  בְּעֵינֶיךָ הוּא רַב, אֲבָל בְּעֵינַי אֵינוֹ רַב (שם):
2And it will be, when you approach the battle, that the kohen shall come near, and speak to the people.   בוְהָיָ֕ה כְּקָֽרָבְכֶ֖ם אֶל־הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וְנִגַּ֥שׁ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְדִבֶּ֥ר אֶל־הָעָֽם:
when you approach the battle. When you are on the point of leaving the border.   כְּקָֽרָבְכֶם אֶל־הַמִּלְחָמָה.  סָמוּךְ לְצֵאתְכֶם מִן הַסְּפָר – מִגְּבוּל אַרְצְכֶם:
that the kohen shall come near. This refers to the kohen anointed for this purpose, and he is called “the one anointed for war.”   וְנִגַּשׁ הַכֹּהֵן.  הַמָּשׁוּחַ לְכָךְ, וְהוּא הַנִּקְרָא "מְשׁוּחַ מִלְחָמָה":
and speak to the people. in the Holy Tongue. — [Sotah 42a]   וְדִבֶּר אֶל־הָעָֽם.  בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ (סוטה מ"ב):
3And he shall say to them, "Hear, O Israel, today you are approaching the battle against your enemies. Let your hearts not be faint; you shall not be afraid, and you shall not be alarmed, and you shall not be terrified because of them.   גוְאָמַ֤ר אֲלֵהֶם֙ שְׁמַ֣ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַתֶּ֨ם קְרֵבִ֥ים הַיּ֛וֹם לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה עַל־אֹֽיְבֵיכֶ֑ם אַל־יֵרַ֣ךְ לְבַבְכֶ֗ם אַל־תִּֽירְא֧וּ וְאַל־תַּחְפְּז֛וּ וְאַל־תַּֽעַרְצ֖וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם:
“Hear, O Israel”. Even if you have no merit other than the reading of the Shema, you are worthy that He [God] save you. — [Sotah 42b]   שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל.  אֲפִלּוּ אֵין בָּכֶם זְכוּת אֶלָּא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בִּלְבַד, כְּדַאי אַתֶּם שֶׁיּוֹשִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם:
against your enemies. These are not your brothers, for if you fall into their hands, they will not have pity on you; this is not like the war of Judah with Israel, of which the verse states, “And the men, who were mentioned by name, rose up and took hold of the captives, and clothed all their nakedness from the spoils, and they dressed them and shod them, and fed them and gave them to drink, and anointed them, and led them on donkeys, every feeble one, and they brought them to Jericho, the city of the palms, beside their brothers, and they returned to Samaria” (II Chron. 28:15). You, however, are going against your enemies; therefore strengthen yourselves for battle. — [Sifrei ; Sotah 42a]   עַל־אֹֽיְבֵיכֶם.  אֵין אֵלּוּ אַחֵיכֶם, שֶׁאִם תִּפְּלוּ בְיָדָם אֵינָם מְרַחֲמִים עֲלֵיכֶם, אֵין זוֹ כְּמִלְחֶמֶת יְהוּדָה עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב' כ"ח ט"ו) "וַיָּקֻמוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר נִקְּבוּ בְשֵׁמוֹת וַיַּחֲזִיקוּ בַשִּׁבְיָה וְכָל מַעֲרֻמֵּיהֶם הִלְבִּישׁוּ מִן הַשָּׁלָל וַיַּלְבִּישׁוּם וַיַּנְעִילוּם וַיַּאֲכִילוּם וַיַּשְׁקוּם וַיְסֻכוּם וַיְנַהֲלוּם בַּחֲמֹרִים לְכָל כּוֹשֵׁל וַיְבִיאוּם יְרֵחוֹ עִיר הַתְּמָרִים אֵצֶל אֲחֵיהֶם וַיָּשׁוּבוּ שֹׁמְרוֹן", אֶלָּא עַל אוֹיְבֵיכֶם אַתֶּם הוֹלְכִים, לְפִיכָךְ הִתְחַזְּקוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה (ספרי; סוטה מ"ב):
Let your hearts not be faint; you shall not be afraid, you shall not be alarmed, and you shall not be terrified. Four warnings, corresponding to four practices in which the kings of the nations engage [during battle]: They hold their shields close together to strike them against one another, thereby producing a loud noise to alarm those confronting them, so that they should flee; they stamp [the ground heavily] with their horses and make them neigh, sounding the beating of their horses’ hoofs, and they shout loudly and blow horns and [other] kinds of noisy instruments.   אַל־יֵרַךְ לְבַבְכֶם אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ וְאַל־תַּחְפְּזוּ וְאַל־תַּֽעַרְצוּ.  אַרְבַּע אַזְהָרוֹת כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבָּעָה דְבָרִים שֶׁמַּלְכֵי הָאֻמּוֹת עוֹשִׂים, מְגִיפִין בִּתְרִיסֵיהֶם כְּדֵי לְהַקִּישָׁן זֶה לָזֶה כְּדֵי לְהַשְׁמִיעַ קוֹל שֶׁיַּחְפְּזוּ אֵלּוּ שֶׁכְּנֶגְדָן וְיָנוּסוּ, וְרוֹמְסִים בְּסוּסֵיהֶם וּמַצְהִילִין אוֹתָם לְהַשְׁמִיעַ קוֹל שַׁעֲטַת פַּרְסוֹת סוּסֵיהֶם, וְצוֹוְחִין בְּקוֹלָם, וְתוֹקְעִין בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת וּמִינֵי מַשְׁמִיעֵי קוֹל:
Let your hearts not be faint. Because of the neighing of the horses;   אַל־יֵרַךְ לְבַבְכֶם.  מִצַּהֲלַת סוּסִים:
you shall not be afraid. of the noise made by the fastening of the shields;   אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ.  מֵהֲגָפַת הַתְּרִיסִין:
and you shall not be alarmed. At the sounds of the horns;   וְאַל־תַּחְפְּזוּ.  מִקּוֹל הַקְּרָנוֹת:
and you shall not be terrified. By the noise of the shouting. — [Sifrei ; Sotah 42a]   וְאַל־תַּֽעַרְצוּ.  מִקּוֹל הַצְּוָחָה (שם):
4For the Lord, your God, is the One Who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.   דכִּ֚י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם הַֽהֹלֵ֖ךְ עִמָּכֶ֑ם לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם לָכֶ֛ם עִם־אֹֽיְבֵיכֶ֖ם לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ אֶתְכֶֽם:
For the Lord, your God…. They are coming with the victory of flesh and blood, whereas you approach with the victory of the Omnipresent. The Philistines came with the victory of Goliath-What was his end? He fell, and they fell with him.   כִּי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם וגו'.  הֵם בָּאִים בְּנִצְחוֹנוֹ שֶׁל בָּשָׂר וָדָם וְאַתֶּם בָּאִים בְּנִצְחוֹנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם. פְּלִשְׁתִּים בָּאוּ בְנִצְחוֹנוֹ שֶׁל גָּלְיָת, מֶה הָיָה סוֹפוֹ? נָפַל וְנָפְלוּ עִמּוֹ:
Who goes with you. This refers to the camp of the ark. — [Sotah 42a]   הַֽהֹלֵךְ עִמָּכֶם.  זֶה מַחֲנֵה הָאָרוֹן (סוטה מ"ב):
5And the officers shall speak to the people, saying, What man is there who has built a new house and has not [yet] inaugurated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man inaugurate it.   הוְדִבְּר֣וּ הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים֘ אֶל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹר֒ מִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֤ה בַֽיִת־חָדָשׁ֙ וְלֹ֣א חֲנָכ֔וֹ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יַחְנְכֶֽנּוּ:
[What man is there who has built a new house] and has not [yet] inaugurated it. i.e., has not yet lived in it. The term חִנּוּךְ denotes beginning.   וְלֹא חֲנָכוֹ.  וְלֹא דָּר בּוֹ, חִנּוּךְ לְשׁוֹן הַתְחָלָה:
[Lest he die in the war,] and another man inaugurate it. This would be a source of great grief.   וְאִישׁ אַחֵר יַחְנְכֶֽנּוּ.  וְדָבָר שֶׁל עָגְמַת נֶפֶשׁ הוּא זֶה:
6And what man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not [yet] redeemed it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man redeem it.   ווּמִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָטַ֥ע כֶּ֨רֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א חִלְּל֔וֹ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יְחַלְּלֶֽנּוּ:
[And what man is there that has planted a vineyard,] and has not [yet] redeemed it. Heb. וְלֹא חִלְּלוֹ. He has not redeemed the vineyard in the fourth year [of its growth], for the fruits [of the fourth year] have to be eaten in Jerusalem or redeemed [by exchanging them] for money, and to eat [food purchased with] the money in Jerusalem.   וְלֹא חִלְּלוֹ.  לֹא פְּדָאוֹ בַשָּׁנָה הָרְבִיעִית, שֶׁהַפֵּרוֹת טְעוּנִין לְאָכְלָן בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם אוֹ לְחַלְּלָן בְּדָמִים וְלֶאֱכֹל הַדָּמִים בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם:
7And what man is there who has betrothed a woman and has not [yet] taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man take her."   זוּמִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֵרַ֤שׂ אִשָּׁה֙ וְלֹ֣א לְקָחָ֔הּ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יִקָּחֶֽנָּה:
lest he die in the war. He should return lest he die, for if he does not obey the kohen, he deserves to die. — [Sifrei]   פֶּן־יָמוּת בַּמִּלְחָמָה.  יָשׁוּב פֶּן יָמוּת, שֶׁאִם לֹא יִשְׁמַע לְדִבְרֵי הַכֹּהֵן כְּדַאי הוּא שֶׁיָּמוּת (ספרי):
8And the officers shall continue to speak to the people and say, "What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, that he should not cause the heart of his brothers to melt, as his heart."   חוְיָֽסְפ֣וּ הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים֘ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־הָעָם֒ וְאָֽמְר֗וּ מִֽי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הַיָּרֵא֙ וְרַ֣ךְ הַלֵּבָ֔ב יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א יִמַּ֛ס אֶת־לְבַ֥ב אֶחָ֖יו כִּלְבָבֽוֹ:
And the officers shall continue. Why does it say here: “shall continue” [lit. shall add]? They add this [statement] to the words of the kohen, for the kohen speaks and announces aloud to the people from “Hear, O Israel” (verse 3) until “to save you,” (end of verse 4) while “What man is there” (verse 5), and the second and third one [with the same beginning (verses 6 and 7)], the kohen speaks, and an officer announces aloud [to the people]. This verse, however, an officer speaks, and an officer announces aloud. - [Sotah 43a] According to several incunabula editions of Rashi, “a kohen announces aloud.” [See Yosef Hallel.]   וְיָֽסְפוּ הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים.  לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר כָּאן ויספו? מוֹסִיפִין זֶה עַל דִּבְרֵי הַכֹּהֵן, שֶׁהַכֹּהֵן מְדַבֵּר וּמַשְׁמִיעַ מִן שמע ישראל עַד להושיע אתכם, וּמִי הָאִישׁ וְשֵׁנִי וּשְׁלִישִׁי כֹּהֵן מְדַבֵּר וְשׁוֹטֵר מַשְׁמִיעַ, וְזֶה שׁוֹטֵר מְדַבֵּר וְשׁוֹטֵר מַשְׁמִיעַ (סוטה מ"ג):
[What man is there] who is fearful and fainthearted. Rabbi Akiva says: [This verse is to be understood] according to its apparent meaning, that he cannot stand in the closed ranks of battle and look upon a drawn sword. Rabbi Jose the Galilean says that [it means] one who is afraid of his sins [that they will cause him to fall in war, as he is unworthy], and therefore, the Torah gives him the excuse of attributing his return home because of a house, a vineyard, or a wife, to cover up for those who return because of their sins, so that people should not understand that they are sinners. [Consequently,] one who sees this person returning would say, “Perhaps he has built a house, or planted a vineyard, or betrothed a woman.” - [Sotah 44a]   הַיָּרֵא וְרַךְ הַלֵּבָב.  רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד בְּקִשְׁרֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה וְלִרְאוֹת חֶרֶב שְׁלוּפָה; רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר הַיָּרֵא מֵעֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ, וּלְכָךְ תָּלְתָה לוֹ תוֹרָה לַחֲזֹר עַל בַּיִת וְכֶרֶם וְאִשָּׁה, לְכַסּוֹת עַל הַחוֹזְרִים בִּשְׁבִיל עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבְּיָדָם שֶׁלֹּא יָבִינוּ שֶׁהֵם בַּעֲלֵי עֲבֵרָה, וְהָרוֹאֵהוּ חוֹזֵר אוֹמֵר שֶׁמָּא בָּנָה בַיִת אוֹ נָטַע כֶּרֶם אוֹ אֵרַשׂ אִשָּׁה (סוטה מ"ד):
9And it shall be, that when the officials finish speaking to the people, they shall appoint officers of the legions at the edges of the people.   טוְהָיָ֛ה כְּכַלֹּ֥ת הַשֹּֽׁטְרִ֖ים לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־הָעָ֑ם וּפָֽקְד֛וּ שָׂרֵ֥י צְבָא֖וֹת בְּרֹ֥אשׁ הָעָֽם:
[They shall appoint] officers of the legions. This means that they place (זַקָּפִין) guards in front of them and behind them, with iron arrows in their hands, and if anybody attempted to retreat, the guard had the authority to strike his legs. זַקָּפִין are people who stand at the edge of the battle array to pick up (לִזְקֹף) the fallen and to encourage them with words: “Return to the battle and do not flee, for flight is the beginning of defeat.” - [Sifrei , Sotah 44a]   שָׂרֵי צְבָאוֹת.  שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין זַקָּפִין מִלִּפְנֵיהֶם וּמִלְּאַחֲרֵיהֶם וְכַשִּׁילִין שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל בִּידֵיהֶם וְכָל מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לַחֲזֹר הָרְשׁוּת בְּיָדוֹ לְקַפֵּחַ אֶת שׁוֹקָיו; זַקָּפִין – בְּנֵי אָדָם עוֹמְדִין בִּקְצֵה הַמַּעֲרָכָה לִזְקֹף אֶת הַנּוֹפְלִים וּלְחַזְּקָם בִּדְבָרִים, שׁוּבוּ אֶל הַמִּלְחָמָה וְלֹא תָנוּסוּ, שֶׁתְּחִלַּת נְפִילָה נִיסָה (ספרי; סוטה מ"ד):
10When you approach a city to wage war against it, you shall propose peace to it.   יכִּֽי־תִקְרַ֣ב אֶל־עִ֔יר לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם עָלֶ֑יהָ וְקָרָ֥אתָ אֵלֶ֖יהָ לְשָׁלֽוֹם:
When you approach a city [to wage war against it]. Scripture is speaking of an optional war, as is explicit in the context of this section (verse 15), “Thus you will do to all the cities which are very far away [from you]….” - [Sifrei]   כִּֽי־תִקְרַב אֶל־עִיר.  בְּמִלְחֶמֶת הָרְשׁוּת הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בָּעִנְיָן "כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה לְכָל הֶעָרִים הָרְחֹקֹת וְגוֹ'" (ספרי):
11And it will be, if it responds to you with peace, and it opens up to you, then it will be, [that] all the people found therein shall become tributary to you, and they shall serve you.   יאוְהָיָה֙ אִם־שָׁל֣וֹם תַּֽעַנְךָ֔ וּפָֽתְחָ֖ה לָ֑ךְ וְהָיָ֞ה כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַנִּמְצָא־בָ֗הּ יִֽהְי֥וּ לְךָ֛ לָמַ֖ס וַֽעֲבָדֽוּךָ:
all the people found therein [shall become tributary]. Even if you find in it people of the seven nations, whom you have been commanded to exterminate, you are permitted to spare their lives. — [Sifrei]   כָּל־הָעָם הַנִּמְצָא־בָהּ.  אֲפִלּוּ אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בָהּ מִשִּׁבְעָה אֻמּוֹת שֶׁנִּצְטַוִּיתָ לְהַחֲרִימָם, אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְקַיְּמָם (שם):
tributary [to you], and they shall serve you. [You shall fight them] until they accept upon themselves both tribute and bondage. — [Sifrei]   לָמַס וַֽעֲבָדֽוּךָ.  עַד שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מִסִּים וְשִׁעְבּוּד (שם):
12But if it does not make peace with you, and it wages war against you, you shall besiege it,   יבוְאִם־לֹ֤א תַשְׁלִים֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ וְעָֽשְׂתָ֥ה עִמְּךָ֖ מִלְחָמָ֑ה וְצַרְתָּ֖ עָלֶֽיהָ:
But if it does make no peace with you, and it wages war against you. Scripture is informing you that if it does not make peace with you, then, if you let it be and go away, [this city] will ultimately wage war against you.   וְאִם־לֹא תַשְׁלִים עִמָּךְ וְעָֽשְׂתָה עִמְּךָ מִלְחָמָה.  הַכָּתוּב מְבַשֶּׂרְךָ שֶׁאִם לֹא תַשְׁלִים עִמְּךָ סוֹפָהּ לְהִלָּחֵם בְּךָ אִם תַּנִּיחֶנָּה וְתֵלֵךְ (שם):
you shall besiege it. Even to starve it out, and cause them to [die of] thirst and to kill [the inhabitants of the city] through diseases. — [Sifrei]   וְצַרְתָּ עָלֶֽיהָ.  אַף לְהַרְעִיבָהּ וּלְהַצְמִיאָהּ וְלַהֲמִיתָהּ מִיתַת תַּחֲלוּאִים (שם):
13and the Lord, your God, will deliver it into your hands, and you shall strike all its males with the edge of the sword.   יגוּנְתָנָ֛הּ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְהִכִּיתָ֥ אֶת־כָּל־זְכוּרָ֖הּ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב:
and the Lord your God will deliver it into your hands. If you have done all that is stated in this section, the Lord will ultimately deliver it into your hands. — [Sifrei]   וּנְתָנָהּ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ.  אִם עָשִׂיתָ כָּל הָאָמוּר בָּעִנְיָן, סוֹף שֶׁה' נוֹתְנָהּ בְּיָדֶךָ (שם):
14However, the women, the children, and the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoils you shall take for yourself, and you shall eat the spoils of your enemies, which the Lord, your God, has given you.   ידרַ֣ק הַ֠נָּשִׁ֠ים וְהַטַּ֨ף וְהַבְּהֵמָ֜ה וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְיֶ֥ה בָעִ֛יר כָּל־שְׁלָלָ֖הּ תָּבֹ֣ז לָ֑ךְ וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙ אֶת־שְׁלַ֣ל אֹֽיְבֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛ן יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לָֽךְ:
And the children [… you shall take for yourself]. Even the male children. But, how then, am I to explain “and you shall strike all its males”? (verse 13) It refers to adult males. — [Sifrei]   וְהַטַּף.  אַף טַף שֶׁל זְכָרִים, וּמָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם "וְהִכִּיתָ אֶת כָל זְכוּרָהּ"? בַּגְּדוֹלִים (שם):
15Thus you shall do to all the cities that are very far from you, which are not of the cities of these nations.   טוכֵּ֤ן תַּֽעֲשֶׂה֙ לְכָל־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים הָֽרְחֹקֹ֥ת מִמְּךָ֖ מְאֹ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־מֵֽעָרֵ֥י הַגּוֹיִֽם־הָאֵ֖לֶּה הֵֽנָּה:
16However, of these peoples' cities, which the Lord, your God, gives you as an inheritance, you shall not allow any soul to live.   טזרַ֗ק מֵֽעָרֵ֤י הָֽעַמִּים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְ֖ךָ נַֽחֲלָ֑ה לֹ֥א תְחַיֶּ֖ה כָּל־נְשָׁמָֽה:
17Rather, you shall utterly destroy them: The Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivvites, and the Jebusites, as the Lord, your God, has commanded you.   יזכִּי־הַֽחֲרֵ֣ם תַּֽחֲרִימֵ֗ם הַֽחִתִּ֤י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֣י וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י הַֽחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:
as [the Lord your God] has commanded you. [This is] to include the Girgashites [the seventh nation, not mentioned here, but you were commanded to destroy them]. — [Sifrei]   כַּֽאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ.  לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַגִּרְגָּשִׁי (שם):
18So that they should not teach you to act according to all their abominations that they have done for their gods, whereby you would sin against the Lord, your God.   יחלְמַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יְלַמְּד֤וּ אֶתְכֶם֙ לַֽעֲשׂ֔וֹת כְּכֹל֙ תּֽוֹעֲבֹתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשׂ֖וּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם וַֽחֲטָאתֶ֖ם לַֽיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
so that they will not teach you to do [like all] their abominations]. But if they repent and wish to convert, you are allowed to accept them. — [Sifrei]   לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יְלַמְּדוּ.  הָא אִם עָשׂוּ תְשׁוּבָה וּמִתְגַיְּרִין אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְקַבְּלָם (שם):
19When you besiege a city for many days to wage war against it to capture it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them, for you may eat from them, but you shall not cut them down. Is the tree of the field a man, to go into the siege before you?   יטכִּֽי־תָצ֣וּר אֶל־עִיר֩ יָמִ֨ים רַבִּ֜ים לְהִלָּחֵ֧ם עָלֶ֣יהָ לְתָפְשָׂ֗הּ לֹֽא־תַשְׁחִ֤ית אֶת־עֵצָהּ֙ לִנְדֹּ֤חַ עָלָיו֙ גַּרְזֶ֔ן כִּ֚י מִמֶּ֣נּוּ תֹאכֵ֔ל וְאֹת֖וֹ לֹ֣א תִכְרֹ֑ת כִּ֤י הָֽאָדָם֙ עֵ֣ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לָבֹ֥א מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ בַּמָּצֽוֹר:
[When you besiege a city for many] days. The word “days” implies two days. [But when it says]   יָמִים.  שְׁנַיִם:
many. [this means] three [days]. From here our Rabbis derived [the ruling that] the siege of a heathen city may not be initiated less than three days before the Sabbath (Sifrei , Shab. 19a), and this verse teaches us that the offer of peace (verse 10) must be repeated for two or three days. Similarly, it says: “that David dwelt in Ziklag for two days” (II Sam. 1:1). Scripture is speaking here of an optional war. — [Sifrei]   רַבִּים.  שְׁלוֹשָׁה, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ אֵין צָרִין עַל עַיָּרוֹת שֶׁל גּוֹיִם פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁלוֹשָׁה יָמִים קֹדֶם לַשַּׁבָּת, וְלִמֵּד שֶׁפּוֹתֵחַ בְּשָׁלוֹם שְׁנַיִם אוֹ שְׁלוֹשָׁה יָמִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמואל ב א') וַיֵּשֶׁב דָּוִד בְּצִקְלָג יָמִים שְׁנָיִם (ספרי); וּבְמִלְחֶמֶת הָרְשׁוּת הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר:
Is the tree of the field a man, [to go into the siege before you]?. The word כִּי here means “perhaps:” Is the tree of the field perhaps a man who is to go into the siege by you, that it should be punished by the suffering of hunger and thirst like the people of the city? Why should you destroy it?   כִּֽי־הָֽאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה.  הֲרֵי כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן דִּלְמָא, שֶׁמָּא הָאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה לְהִכָּנֵס בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּצוֹר מִפָּנֶיךָ לְהִתְיַסֵּר בְּיִסּוּרֵי רָעָב וְצָמָא כְּאַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר? לָמָּה תַּשְׁחִיתֶנּוּ?:
20However, a tree you know is not a food tree, you may destroy and cut down, and you shall build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until its submission.   כרַ֞ק עֵ֣ץ אֲשֶׁר־תֵּדַ֗ע כִּ֣י לֹא־עֵ֤ץ מַֽאֲכָל֙ ה֔וּא אֹת֥וֹ תַשְׁחִ֖ית וְכָרָ֑תָּ וּבָנִ֣יתָ מָצ֗וֹר עַל־הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁר־הִוא֙ עֹשָׂ֧ה עִמְּךָ֛ מִלְחָמָ֖ה עַ֥ד רִדְתָּֽהּ:
until its submission. Heb. רִדְתָּהּ, an expression of רִדּוּי, subjugation, [meaning] that it becomes submissive to you.   עַד רִדְתָּֽהּ.  לְשׁוֹן רִדּוּי, שֶׁתְּהֵא כְּפוּפָה לְךָ: