Shoftim 20:11 · unit 2

TT #314 · Parashas Shoftim · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 20:11

The Complete Passuk

וְהָיָה֙ אִם־שָׁל֣וֹם תַּֽעַנְךָ֔ וּפָתְחָ֖ה לָ֑ךְ וְהָיָ֞ה כׇּל־הָעָ֣ם הַנִּמְצָא־בָ֗הּ יִהְי֥וּ לְךָ֛ לָמַ֖ס וַעֲבָדֽוּךָ׃

And it shall be, if it answers you with peace and opens to you, then all the people found in it shall be tributary to you and shall serve you.

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei Devarim 200.

TT lemma: יִהְיוּ לְךָ לָמַס וַעֲבָדוּךָ.

Core Text

יִהְיוּ לְךָ לָמַס וַעֲבָדוּךָ – לְמַס עובֵד.

English: ‘They shall be tributary to you and shall serve you’ – tributary service.

On the daf / in context: The terms are subjection and labor, not annihilation.

Derash defining the tribute (Sifrei) — the peace terms include service and taxation.

The peaceful settlement places the city’s population under tribute and service to Yisrael.