Moses says that when Israel goes to war it should not be afraid even if the opposing army was greater. For God would be with his people to fight for them and give them victory.
Then preparing for battle Moses gives some exemptions (new house, new vineyard, new wife and no courage) of a compassionate nature so that nothing should distract the warriors from the objective of victory which is the Lord's.
Moses says that when preparing to attack a city Israel should give its inhabitants a chance to surrender in which case they would be Israel's slaves. However if they fight then the Israelites should lay siege to the city and kill all the men. However the woman, children, livestock and everything else will be taken as plunder.
Nevertheless in the case of the peoples in Canaan's land (Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites) and their livestock everyone and everything was to be annihilated.
Moses says that in the case of long term sieges they can chop down trees to help them, but should not use fruit trees.
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