When you approach a city to fight against it, you are to make an offer of peace.
Parallel translations
- WEB When you draw near to a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace to it.
- KJV When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.
- NKJV “When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it.
- NASB “When you approach a city to fight against it, you shall offer it terms of peace.
- NLT “As you approach a town to attack it, you must first offer its people terms for peace.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
When approaching a distant city for war, Israel must first offer terms of peace. Even in warfare, God's people were to seek peace before conflict.
Overview
Before besieging a faraway city, Israel was to extend an offer of peace. This restrained needless bloodshed and reflected a measure of mercy in conduct of war. The priority of seeking peace points to God's own character and anticipates the gospel of peace He extends to a rebellious world through Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Luke 10:5–6Whatever house you enter, begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’
- Eph 2:17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
- 2 Cor 5:18All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
- Isa 57:19bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.”
- 2 Sam 20:18–22Then the woman said, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Seek counsel at Abel,’ and that is how disputes were settled.
- Zech 9:10And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.
- Acts 10:36He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 20:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.