וְהָיָה֙ אִם־שָׁל֣וֹם תַּֽעַנְךָ֔ וּפָתְחָ֖ה לָ֑ךְ וְהָיָ֞ה כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַנִּמְצָא־בָ֗הּ יִהְי֥וּ לְךָ֛ לָמַ֖ס וַעֲבָדֽוּךָ׃
Jika kota itu menjawabmu dengan perdamaian dan membuka pintu gerbangnya bagimu, maka seluruh penduduk yang ada di dalamnya harus menjadi pembayar upeti bagimu dan bekerja melayanimu.
Midrash Tanchuma
You shall offer it terms of peace (Deuteronomy 20:10): Rabbi Levi said, "Moshe did three things and the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed with him. And these are them: It is written (Exodus 34:7), 'visits the iniquity of the fathers upon children.' But Moshe said (Deuteronomy 24:10), 'Fathers will not be put to death for children [and children will not be put to death for fathers].' And from where [do we know] that the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed with him? As it is stated (II Kings 14:6), 'But he did not put to death the children of the assassins, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Torah of Moshe, [...] "Parents shall not be put to death for children, etc."' And the second was when he broke the tablets. And [the third] was in the days of Sichon and Og. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Go and fight with him, block his acqueduct.' But Moshe did not do so, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 2:26), 'And I sent messengers.' The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'By your life, you have done as is fitting, as I agree with you.'" Therefore Moshe warns Israel and says to them (Deuteronomy 20:10), "When you approach a town to attack it, you shall offer it terms of peace." "You shall offer it terms of (for) peace (leshalom)." In peace (beshalom) is not written here, so that they would go forth with peace and return in peace. As Avner and Avshalom about whom it is written, "in peace," did not return. But Moshe to whom Yitro said, "for peace," went and returned. Another interpretation [of] "You shall offer it terms of peace": It is speaking about the days of the king messiah, who opens to them with peace, as it is stated (Zechariah 9:10), "He shall speak peace to the nations, and his rule shall extend from sea to sea." "If it responds peaceably" (Deuteronomy 20:11); if they bind themselves, as it is stated (Isaiah 2:4), "And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not take up sword against nation; they shall never again learn war." "All the people present there shall be as tribute and serve you"(Deuteronomy 20:11); that they should bring you tribute. As it is stated (Psalms 68:32), "Tribute-bearers (chasmanim) shall come from Egypt," as they shall hurry (chasim) and bring their gifts; "Cush shall hasten (tarits) its gifts to God," as they shall run (ratsim) and bring their gifts. "But if it shall not make peace with you" (Deuteronomy 20:12). [If] a strange spirit enters into them and they rebel against the king messiah, he kills them immediately; as it is stated (Isaiah 11:4), "he shall strike down a land with the rod of his mouth, and slay the wicked with the breath of his lips." And he shall only leave Israel, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 32:12), "The Lord guided him alone, and there is no alien god with him."
Bamidbar Rabbah
Another matter: “Then Israel sang” (Numbers 21:17) – this is one of three matters85The third matter relates to the vanquishing of Siḥon, which is first mentioned in Numbers 21:21–24. that Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He, and He said to him: You have taught Me. He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, from where do Israel know what they have done?86Namely, from where could they have known that the golden calf was a sin. Did they not grow in Egypt, and all of Egypt are idolaters. When You gave the Torah, You did not give it to them, and they were not standing there, as it is stated: “The people stood at a distance” (Exodus 20:18), and You gave it only to me, as it is stated: “To Moses, He said: Ascend to the Lord” (Exodus 24:1). When You gave the commandments, You did not give them to them. You did not say: “I am the Lord your God [eloheikhem],”87“Your” in the plural. but rather: “I am the Lord your God [elohekha]” (Exodus 20:2).88“Your” in the singular. You said it to me. Did I, perhaps, sin?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘As you live, you have spoken well. You have taught Me. From now on I will speak with the expression: “I am the Lord your God [eloheikhem].”’
The second, when the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Reckoning the iniquity of the fathers upon children” (Exodus 34:7). Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, how many wicked men begot righteous men? Shall they be taking from the iniquities of their fathers? Teraḥ worshipped idols, and Abraham his son was righteous. Likewise, Hezekiah was righteous, and Aḥaz his father was wicked. Likewise, Yoshiya was righteous, and Amon his father was wicked. Is it appropriate for the righteous to be stricken for the iniquity of their fathers?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You have taught Me. As you live, I am voiding My words and fulfilling your words,’ as it is stated: “Fathers shall not be put to death for children, and children shall not be put to death for fathers” (Deuteronomy 24:16) – ‘and as you live, I will write them in your name,’ as it is stated: “As it is written in the book of the Torah of Moses that the Lord commanded, [saying: Fathers will not be put to death for children, and children will not be put to death for fathers]” (II Kings 14:6).
The third, when the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wage war with Siḥon even if he does not seek to wage with you; you provoke war with him,’ as it is stated: “Rise, and travel, and cross the Arnon ravine; [see, I have placed Siḥon king of Ḥeshbon, the Emorite, and his land in your hand; begin taking possession, and provoke war with him]” (Deuteronomy 2:24). But Moses did not do so; rather, what is written: “I sent messengers” (Deuteronomy 2:26). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: As you live, I am voiding My words and fulfilling your words, as it is stated: “When you approach a city to wage war against it, you shall call to it for peace” (Deuteronomy 20:10). When Siḥon did not accept, the Holy One blessed be He toppled him before them, as it is stated: “We smote him” (Deuteronomy 2:33).
Moreover, even those who concealed themselves in the caves to kill them, the Holy One blessed be He intimated to the mountain and it crushed them, as it is stated: “You broke the heads of crocodiles on the waters. [You] crushed the heads of leviathan” (Psalms 74:13–14). The folk proverb says: If you gave bread to a child, inform his mother. The Holy One blessed be He said: How will Israel know the good that I performed on their behalf? What did He do? He distanced the mountains from one another, and the streams in the ravines washed them out,89The streams washed the remains out of the caves where they were located. as it is stated: “The outpouring of the ravines” (Numbers 21:15). Israel was passing and reciting song: “Then Israel sang” (Numbers 21:17). Israel said: ‘It is incumbent upon You to perform miracles on our behalf, and it is incumbent upon us to bless and laud Your name.’ “Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people, Selah” (Psalms 3:9).
It was due to the water that the decree was issued against Moses, and he is not mentioned in the song. Moses said: Master of the universe, after all the miracles that You performed on their behalf, will I die at their hand? From the wilderness You gave them the Torah, as it is stated: “From the wilderness to Matana” (Numbers 21:18).90Matana means gift, referring here to the Torah. And it became their heritage [naḥalu] under my guidance, as it is stated: “And from Matana to Naḥaliel” (Numbers 21:19) – God became their heritage [naḥalu El]. And once it became their heritage, You decreed death upon me,” as it is stated: “From Naḥaliel to Bamot” (Numbers 21:19) – from the ravine [naḥal] came [ba] death [mot]. “And from Bamot to the canyon that is in the field of Moav” (Numbers 21:20), as it is stated: “He buried him in the canyon in the land of Moav” (Deuteronomy 34:6). Job said: “Who does not show favor to princes and does not prefer the wealthy over the poor, as they are all His handiwork” (Job 34:19).
The second, when the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Reckoning the iniquity of the fathers upon children” (Exodus 34:7). Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, how many wicked men begot righteous men? Shall they be taking from the iniquities of their fathers? Teraḥ worshipped idols, and Abraham his son was righteous. Likewise, Hezekiah was righteous, and Aḥaz his father was wicked. Likewise, Yoshiya was righteous, and Amon his father was wicked. Is it appropriate for the righteous to be stricken for the iniquity of their fathers?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You have taught Me. As you live, I am voiding My words and fulfilling your words,’ as it is stated: “Fathers shall not be put to death for children, and children shall not be put to death for fathers” (Deuteronomy 24:16) – ‘and as you live, I will write them in your name,’ as it is stated: “As it is written in the book of the Torah of Moses that the Lord commanded, [saying: Fathers will not be put to death for children, and children will not be put to death for fathers]” (II Kings 14:6).
The third, when the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wage war with Siḥon even if he does not seek to wage with you; you provoke war with him,’ as it is stated: “Rise, and travel, and cross the Arnon ravine; [see, I have placed Siḥon king of Ḥeshbon, the Emorite, and his land in your hand; begin taking possession, and provoke war with him]” (Deuteronomy 2:24). But Moses did not do so; rather, what is written: “I sent messengers” (Deuteronomy 2:26). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: As you live, I am voiding My words and fulfilling your words, as it is stated: “When you approach a city to wage war against it, you shall call to it for peace” (Deuteronomy 20:10). When Siḥon did not accept, the Holy One blessed be He toppled him before them, as it is stated: “We smote him” (Deuteronomy 2:33).
Moreover, even those who concealed themselves in the caves to kill them, the Holy One blessed be He intimated to the mountain and it crushed them, as it is stated: “You broke the heads of crocodiles on the waters. [You] crushed the heads of leviathan” (Psalms 74:13–14). The folk proverb says: If you gave bread to a child, inform his mother. The Holy One blessed be He said: How will Israel know the good that I performed on their behalf? What did He do? He distanced the mountains from one another, and the streams in the ravines washed them out,89The streams washed the remains out of the caves where they were located. as it is stated: “The outpouring of the ravines” (Numbers 21:15). Israel was passing and reciting song: “Then Israel sang” (Numbers 21:17). Israel said: ‘It is incumbent upon You to perform miracles on our behalf, and it is incumbent upon us to bless and laud Your name.’ “Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people, Selah” (Psalms 3:9).
It was due to the water that the decree was issued against Moses, and he is not mentioned in the song. Moses said: Master of the universe, after all the miracles that You performed on their behalf, will I die at their hand? From the wilderness You gave them the Torah, as it is stated: “From the wilderness to Matana” (Numbers 21:18).90Matana means gift, referring here to the Torah. And it became their heritage [naḥalu] under my guidance, as it is stated: “And from Matana to Naḥaliel” (Numbers 21:19) – God became their heritage [naḥalu El]. And once it became their heritage, You decreed death upon me,” as it is stated: “From Naḥaliel to Bamot” (Numbers 21:19) – from the ravine [naḥal] came [ba] death [mot]. “And from Bamot to the canyon that is in the field of Moav” (Numbers 21:20), as it is stated: “He buried him in the canyon in the land of Moav” (Deuteronomy 34:6). Job said: “Who does not show favor to princes and does not prefer the wealthy over the poor, as they are all His handiwork” (Job 34:19).
Sifrei Devarim
(Devarim 20:11) "And it shall be, if it answers you for peace": I might think, even (if) some (do so); it is, therefore, written "and it opens itself to you" — all of it and not part of it.