What happensPermalink
Moses gives laws about warfare: Israel should not be afraid; recently blessed men are exempt from service; cities outside Canaan must be offered peace, but cities inside Canaan must be utterly destroyed.
Why it mattersPermalink
God expects Israel to rely on His providence: they should not be afraid, and they do not need every man for battle (recently blessed men should enjoy the blessings of God). Whenever lives can be spared, they should be.
Key versePermalink
“…for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”