This last question seems to have been added to the original three. It is of a general nature, and the introduction to the question is fuller. Those who are afraid are told to go back home, because their fear might spread and infect the others.

Will speak further to the people: that is, they are to ask one more question of the men [or, troops].

Fearful: this is the common word “to be afraid.”

Fainthearted: as in verse 9.

Melt as his heart: this is a fairly common idiom, meaning to become afraid. Having a heart that “melts” means that a person loses courage, or nerve.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The commanders in this verse are not the same as the officers; they are men who would be appointed to be in charge of the various units that would be formed after some men had gone back home, for the different reasons given above. For the size of the units, see 1.15, where the same Hebrew word for commanders is used.

Shall be appointed: the Hebrew verb is the third person plural of the active voice, literally “they shall appoint.” In this context the subject or agent may be the officers (so New International Version, Contemporary English Version); for example, “they will appoint commanders.” Alternatively the third plural may be used impersonally, which is often done, with the meaning “they [the commanders] shall assume command” (so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New Revised Standard Version). Or even the passive sense, as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, may be intended. The meaning expressed by New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and New Revised Standard Version is to be preferred.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

When you draw near to a city to fight against it: verses 10-18 give instructions on laying siege to fortified towns, that is, towns that had walls around them. Verse 15 reveals that these instructions apply only to towns that are outside of Israel.

Offer terms of peace to it: before mounting a siege against a town, the Israelites are to lay down the conditions under which they will not attack it. So Good News Translation says “first give its people a chance to surrender,” and Bible en français courant “first propose to the inhabitants that they surrender without fighting.” Contemporary English Version puts verse 15 first, with “Before you attack a town that is far from your land, offer peace….” This is a good alternative solution.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

If the people accept the Israelites’ offer, there will be no fighting and no bloodshed; but they will become the Israelites’ slaves.

If its answer to you is peace: that is, “if the people of that town agree to what you demand.”

It opens to you: this seems to mean that the people open the gates of the town so that the Israelites can enter and occupy the town. Or it may mean, as New Revised Standard Version translates, “surrenders to you.” In some languages it will be necessary to place this clause at the beginning; for example, “If the people of that town open the gates and surrender.”

All the people who are found in it: a way of saying “all the inhabitants of the town,” “all the people who live there.”

Shall do forced labor for you and shall serve you: this is simply one statement, expressed by two verbs that have the same meaning. For the use of forced labor, see Judges 1.27-36. Good News Translation has “they are all to become your slaves and do forced labor for you.” Another way to express this is “… and you will force them to work for you.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

But if it makes no peace … but makes war: these are the negative and the positive aspects of the same action. If it is not unnatural to use both forms in a given language, they should be used, for emphasis. An alternative way of expressing these two clauses is “But if the people of that city will not accept your offer of peace, but decide to fight you….” Instead of it, the town, it may be better to say “the inhabitants,” or “the people who live there.”

Besiege it: this means to put troops around the walls of the town, and to use devices to break through the walls, or to climb over them, so that the attackers can enter the town (see further at verse 19). In some languages translators will need to use a descriptive phrase; for example, “then have your fighting men surround the town and attack it.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The LORD your God gives it into your hand: the surrender of the Canaanites is God’s doing. Good News Translation has “Then, when the LORD your God lets you capture the city, …” (similarly Contemporary English Version).

Put all the males to the sword: put … to the sword is an idiom that means “kill.” All adult males who might fight are to be killed at once. In many languages “kill all the males” or “kill every man in the town” will be natural ways to render this (see 13.15).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

All the other people are allowed to live, but they become the slaves of the Israelites.

But the women and the little ones: the little ones were children, presumably including adolescent boys not yet old enough to fight. “Take the women and children as slaves” (Contemporary English Version) is a good model.

All its spoil: this includes everything in the town that the conquerors can make use of. The same holds true for booty, all the belongings of the inhabitants, which the Israelites will keep. For spoil and booty see 2.35.

Enjoy the spoil of your enemies: the verb enjoy is literally “to eat,” used in a figurative sense but easily understood. In a number of languages and everything else … the spoil of your enemies may be shortened to something like “Take everything else that belongs to your enemies and use it.”

Which the LORD your God has given you: the people are constantly reminded that it is God who wins the victory for them.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

This clause, which makes the instructions apply to towns beyond the borders of the land of Canaan, comes at the end of the passage. See the comment at verse 10, where it was suggested that verse 15 may be placed there.

Cities which are very far from you, which are not cities of the nations here: again a twofold statement, for emphasis. Notice the force of the word here; the point of view is that of someone who lives in Canaan.

For an account of what the Israelites actually did in besieging towns, see 2.33-35 and 3.6-7.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .