And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:
But if the city refuses to make peace with you and chooses to fight against you instead, then you should surround it and attack it.
This verse instructs that if a city rejects peaceful surrender and chooses to fight, then it should be besieged in warfare.
📚 Historical Context
This verse is part of Moses' instructions to the Israelites about warfare as they prepared to enter the Promised Land around 1400 BC. These were specific military guidelines for conquering Canaanite cities, where Israel was commanded to first offer terms of peace before engaging in battle. The context involves ancient Near Eastern warfare practices where siege warfare was a common military tactic used to capture fortified cities.
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