Deuteronomy 20 14

Deuteronomy 20:14 kjv

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.

Deuteronomy 20:14 nkjv

But the women, the little ones, the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall plunder for yourself; and you shall eat the enemies' plunder which the LORD your God gives you.

Deuteronomy 20:14 niv

As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the LORD your God gives you from your enemies.

Deuteronomy 20:14 esv

but the women and the little ones, the livestock, and everything else in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as plunder for yourselves. And you shall enjoy the spoil of your enemies, which the LORD your God has given you.

Deuteronomy 20:14 nlt

But you may keep for yourselves all the women, children, livestock, and other plunder. You may enjoy the plunder from your enemies that the LORD your God has given you.

Deuteronomy 20 verses

Deuteronomy 20 14 Meaning

Deuteronomy 20:14 outlines the specific allowance for Israelite warriors to take as spoil the women, children, cattle, and all movable possessions from cities "very far off" (as specified in Deut 20:15) that resisted their peaceful overtures and were subsequently conquered. This spoil was expressly granted by the Lord God for their use and sustenance, signifying divine authorization and provision in warfare.

Deuteronomy 20 14 Context

Deuteronomy 20 details the laws of warfare given to Israel, demonstrating God's regulated approach to conflict. Verses 1-9 cover the procedures for Israelite armies, including exemptions from military service. Verses 10-18 specifically address the conduct towards conquered cities. Within this framework, Deuteronomy 20:14 defines the policy for cities located far away from the land promised to Israel. For such distant cities, the initial approach was to offer peace (Deut 20:10-11). If they accepted, they would become forced labor (tribute bearers). If they refused and waged war, the Israelite army was commanded to kill all the adult males (Deut 20:13), but then to take the women, children, livestock, and all other movable goods as plunder. This contrasts sharply with the instruction for cities within the promised land (the Canaanite nations) as detailed in Deuteronomy 20:16-17, where everything that breathed was to be utterly destroyed (Herem), primarily to prevent moral and religious contamination (Deut 7:1-6). Thus, Deuteronomy 20:14 represents a divine limitation on warfare, permitting spoil for sustenance and acknowledging the preservation of some non-combatants, as distinct from the "utter destruction" reserved for the intrinsically corrupt nations within the land.

Deuteronomy 20 14 Word analysis

• But (אַךְ, akh): This conjunction serves as a strong contrast, signaling a clear departure from the preceding command to utterly destroy all adult males. It introduces an exception or specification to the general rule of warfare or plunder in certain contexts.
• the women (הַנָּשִׁים, han-nashim): Refers to adult females. Their lives were spared, contrasting with the males. In the ancient Near East, women captured in war could become wives, servants, or slaves, though the specific intent here is "take unto thyself," suggesting practical benefit and integration.
• and the little ones (וְהַטַּף, və-hat-ṭaf): Refers to dependent children, typically pre-adolescent. The Hebrew term ṭaf often denotes those who are vulnerable and rely on others for survival. Their preservation implies a distinction between combatants and non-combatants.
• and the cattle (וְהַבְּהֵמָה, və-hab-bəhemāh): Refers to domesticated animals, livestock. In an agrarian society, cattle represented significant wealth, labor, and a vital food source. They were an indispensable part of military spoils.
• and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof (וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בָּהּ, כָּל־שְׁלָלָהּ; və-ḵol-ʾăšer yihyeh bāh, kol-šəlālāh): This phrase emphasizes comprehensive plunder. It includes any and all valuable goods and movable possessions found within the city, apart from the women, children, and cattle already mentioned.
  • Spoil (שָׁלָל, shelal) and (בַּז, baz) are used in this context; shelal refers to things taken in battle or as booty, while baz emphasizes the act of plundering or taking by force. The dual phrasing stresses the totality of the permissible take.
• shalt thou take unto thyself (תָּבֹז לָךְ, tāvōz lāḵ): Literally, "you shall plunder for yourself." This indicates that the acquired goods become the property of the Israelite warriors/nation, for their personal and collective benefit.
• and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies (וְאָכַלְתָּ אֶת־שְׁלַל אֹיְבֶיךָ; və-ʾāḵaltā ʾet-šəlāl ʾōyəveḵā): The verb eat (אָכַל, ʼāḵal) here extends beyond literal consumption of food to metaphorically mean "to enjoy, use, consume the benefits of." It links the spoils directly to sustenance, provision, and practical benefit for the Israelite soldiers and community.
• which the LORD thy God hath given thee (אֲשֶׁר נָתַן יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לָךְ; ʾăšer nātan YHWH ʾělōheyḵā lāḵ): This is the critical theological assertion. It elevates the act from mere plunder to a divinely sanctioned grant. God is explicitly named as the one who bestows victory and the resulting resources, legitimizing Israel's actions and grounding their provision in His sovereignty.

Words-group Analysis:

• "the women, and the little ones, and the cattle": This group delineates the specific categories of living beings and vital resources that are to be spared and taken as gain, clearly distinguishing them from the adult males who were to be put to the sword. It shows a degree of discernment in ancient Israelite warfare not always present in other contemporary cultures.
• "all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof": This double emphasis underlines the comprehensiveness of the allowed plunder, signifying that nothing of material value, not inherently defiled (like idols, Deut 7:25), was off-limits.
• "thou shalt take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee": This concluding phrase brings together the act of acquisition ("take unto thyself"), the benefit ("eat the spoil"), and the divine source and justification ("which the LORD thy God hath given thee"). It highlights that these provisions are a result of God's covenantal faithfulness to His people, granting them victory and means for their sustenance in a world of conflict.

Deuteronomy 20 14 Bonus section

• The laws of war in Deuteronomy provide a significant contrast to typical ancient Near Eastern military practices, which often involved excessive brutality, torture, and widespread extermination without distinction, for mere vengeance or display of power. While still employing harsh measures, Israel's divine law introduces parameters, limitations, and justifications that are distinct from pagan motives.
• The spoil from war was a legitimate source of wealth and provision for the Israelite army and nation. It could be used to supplement their own resources, contributing to the general economy and rewarding soldiers for their service. This practice was common in the ancient world as armies often lived off the land and conquered resources.
• The careful distinction between "far off" cities and the "cities of these nations" (Canaanites) highlights that Israel's warfare had a dual purpose: one for the pragmatic acquisition of resources and submission from distant enemies, and another, more absolute, for the purging of religious and moral corruption from the promised land to ensure Israel's purity.

Deuteronomy 20 14 Commentary

Deuteronomy 20:14 provides a pragmatic and divinely authorized rule for the conduct of Israelite warfare against non-Canaanite cities, designated as "far off" cities. The core principle here is not indiscriminate destruction, but rather a structured approach to conquest that allows for the preservation and appropriation of resources and non-combatant lives for the benefit of Israel. This stands in stark contrast to the Herem command of total destruction reserved for the cities within the land of Canaan (Deut 20:16-17), whose inhabitants posed a unique threat of moral and religious corruption.

The allowance to take women, children, and spoil (women possibly as wives or servants, children to be raised, all to become part of the Israelite household/nation) signifies a practical approach to resourcing the nation and providing for the victorious soldiers, including future generations of the captured. The mention of "eating the spoil" underscores the aspect of practical utility and sustenance derived from these acquisitions.

Crucially, the verse attributes this permission to "the LORD thy God," placing the entire operation under divine sanction and oversight. This frames the taking of spoil not as greedy pillage but as a legitimate divine grant, a blessing bestowed upon Israel for their faithfulness in battle. It regulated an otherwise chaotic aspect of ancient warfare, preventing unauthorized looting while providing a necessary economic and practical incentive for military campaigns. The very presence of such laws, even for actions that appear harsh by modern standards, demonstrates God's sovereignty over all human affairs, even war, and His provision for His people.