Deuteronomy 20:11

“And if it answers you with peace and opens its gates to you, then all the people who are found in it shall be yours for forced labor and shall serve you.”

Deuteronomy 20:11 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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11

Deuteronomy 20:11, word by word

And ifהָיָהhaya

be

To be: "I will be their Elohim".

Where else “haya” appears
it answers youתַּעַנְtaan

answer

To reply to what was said.

Where else “taan” appears
with peaceשָׁלוֹםshalom

peace

Living without war or quarrels, in harmony.

Where else “shalom” appears
and opens its gatesפָתְחָהfatcha

open

To open a door, mouth or eyes.

Where else “fatcha” appears
the peopleעָםam

crowd

The people gathered in a place: the crowd, or the troops that go out to war.

Where else “am” appears
who are foundנִּמְצָאnimtsa

find

To come upon what one seeks, or something not expected.

Where else “nimtsa” appears
for forced laborמַסmas

forced labor

Forced labor imposed on a subject people.

Where else “mas” appears
and shall serve youעֲבָדוּavadu

serve

To serve a person.

Where else “avadu” appears

The context

10When you draw near to a city to fight against it, you shall call to it for peace.

11 · This verse (above)

12But if it does not make peace with you but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it.

Read all of Deuteronomy 20

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