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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

Deuteronomy 20:11

And it shall be, if it, the city, make thee answer of peace, agree to the conditions as offered, and open (its gates) unto thee, then it shall be that all the people that is found there in shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee, being held in vassalage and obliged to pay tribute, also in personal service, as a return for the sparing of their lives. The purpose of this ordinance was, of course, to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

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See also Deuteronomy 20:11 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    Directions intended to prevent wanton destruction of life and property in sieges. Deuteronomy 20:16 Forbearance, however, was not to be shown toward the Canaanite nations, which were to be utterly ex...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    DEUTERONOMY 20. LAWS TO BE OBSERVED DURING WAR. Peculiar to cf. Deuteronomy 21:10 (which some attach immediately to ch. 20) and Deuteronomy 23:9; Deuteronomy 24:5 (see remarks prefixed to...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Of the Capture of Heathen Cities Before besieging a city Israel shall offer peace, and if it surrenders its people shall be subject to service (Deuteronomy 20:10 f.). But if it will not, Israel shall...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _tributary_ Heb. _la-mas. Mas_means a body of forced labourers, e.g. of Israelites in Egypt, Exodus 1:11, or of Solomon's levies for work in Lebanon and upon his buildings, 1 Kings 5:13 (27), Deuteron...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    _VER._ 11. _IF IT MAKE THEE ANSWER OF PEACE_— i.e. Accept of the conditions offered to them, which, we are told, were three: first, that they should renounce idolatry; secondly, become subjects to the...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    (3) TREATMENT OF CITIES IN FAR-OFF NATIONS (Deuteronomy 20:10-15) 10 When thou drawest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. 11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ No JFB c...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    LAWS OF WARFARE 1. Horses and chariots] The army of the Israelites was chiefly composed of infantry: see on Deuteronomy 17:16....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    DEUTERONOMY: GOD’S LAW OF LOVE LOVE AND OBEY THE *LORD YOUR GOD DEUTERONOMY _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 20 V1 ‘Do not be afraid when you go to fight against your enemies. You may see horses and carts...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    Deuteronomy 20:10. SIEGES. (10) WHEN THOU COMEST NIGH... PROCLAIM PEACE. — Not as the children of Dan did, who massacred the inhabitants of Laish without warning (Judges 18:27). Even in the wars of Jo...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ הָיָה֙ אִם ־שָׁלֹ֣ום תַּֽעַנְךָ֔ וּ פָתְחָ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF ISRAELITE LIFE IT has often and justly been said that the life of Israel is so entirely founded on the grace and favor of God that no distinction is made between the secular an...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    It is necessary to bear in mind that these people were being led into the land not merely to find a possession for themselves as an established nation, but first as the scourge of God against a corrup...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And it shall be, if it make thee answer of (e) 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. (e...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Tribute. This was usually imposed by the victor, to defray the expenses of the war, and to prevent its breaking out again. The kings of Moab had to pay 100,000 rams, and as many sheep, to the kings o...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Observe the grace of GOD beautifully set forth in the proclamation made to sinners, in the gospel of salvation. If sinners will throw down their arms and receive the LORD JESUS all shall be well. It i...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    It is clear that a new division of the statutes and judgments of this book begins with the later verses just read from Deuteronomy 16:1-22. What belonged to the religious life of Israel was closed wit...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 19, 20, AND 21. Chapter 19 opens with ordinances which contemplate the people in possession and enjoyment of the land; they were to observe them, that the la...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND IT SHALL BE, IF IT MAKE THEE ANSWER OF PEACE,.... Comply with the terms of peace offered: AND OPEN UNTO THEE; the gates of the city and its garrisons, and deliver all into their hands: THEN IT S...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 1...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The Priests exhortation to encourage the people to battell. 5 The officers proclamation who are to be dismissed from the warre. 10 How to vse the Cities that accept or refuse the proclamation of p...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    WARFARE REGULATED BY GOD (vs.1-19) God certainly never did approve the saying, "All's fair in love and war." Rather, God gave explicit instructions to Israel as to how to conduct their warfare. But...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    10-12 The Israelites are here directed about the nations on whom they made war. Let this show God's grace in dealing with sinners. He proclaims peace, and beseeches them to be reconciled. Let it also...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    By their purses, and by their labours too, as appears from 1 KINGS 9:15 2 CHRONICLES 8:7,8...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    "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...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Deuteronomy 20:11 offer H6030 (H8799) peace H7965 open H6605 (H8804) people H5971 found H4672 (H8737) trib

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    INSTRUCTIONS FOR BESIEGING A CITY (DEUTERONOMY 20:10). Israel had already experienced sieges in their battles with the Amorite kings. Once they had entered Canaan they would also have to besiege Canaa...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Laws of warfare. CHARACTERS: God, Moses. CONCLUSION: Those enterprises which we undertake by a divine warrant and prosecute by divine direction, we may expect to succeed in. Those have no...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Deuteronomy 20:5. _Hath not dedicated it._ David composed the xxxth Psalm for the dedication of his new palace. Good men warmed a new house by devotion. Deuteronomy 20:9. _The officers shall make capt...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    DEUTERONOMY—NOTE ON DEUTERONOMY 20:10 Verses Deuteronomy 20:10 apply to cities outside the boundaries of the Promised Land (see v....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    DEUTERONOMY—NOTE ON DEUTERONOMY 20:1 These laws on warfare (especially vv. Deuteronomy 20:16) may seem to be at odds with the teachings of the NT. But three things should be kept in m

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.—Reverence for life, and that which tends to preserve it, was the motive for laws given in last chapter. The same is the basis of those in this chapter. Even in time of war, forbearance...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION DIRECTIONS CONCERNING WARFARE IN GENERAL, AND FOR THE BESIEGING OF CITIES IN PARTICULAR. DEUTERONOMY 20:1 The instructi

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now when they went to war, [chapter twenty] against your enemies, and you see the horses, and chariots, don't be afraid: for the LORD is with you, who brought you out of Egypt (Deuteronomy 20:1). Now...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 9:21; 1 Kings 9:22; Joshua 11:19; Joshua 11:20; Joshua 16:10;...

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