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战争的条例

20 “你出去和你的仇敌作战的时候,看见马匹、车辆和比你多的人群,你不要怕他们,因为那把你们从埃及地领上来的耶和华你的 神,与你同在。 你们快要上战场的时候,祭司要上前来,对人民说话, 对他们说:‘以色列人哪,你们要听,你们今日快要和仇敌作战,你们不要胆怯,不要惧怕,不要惊慌,不要因他们的缘故战兢; 因为耶和华你们的 神和你们同去,要为你们攻打你们的仇敌,要拯救你们。’ 官长也要对人民宣告:‘谁建造了新房屋,还没有行过奉献礼的,他可以回家去,恐怕他死在战场上,别人去为他的房屋行奉献礼。 谁栽种了葡萄园,还没有享用过它的果子的,他可以回家去,恐怕他死在战场上,别人去享用它的果子。 谁与女子订了婚,还没有迎娶的,他可以回家去,恐怕他死在战场上,别人去娶了她。’ 官长又要对人民宣告:‘谁是惧怕、胆怯的,他可以回家去,恐怕他使他兄弟的心融化,像他的心一样。’ 官长对人民讲完了话,就要指派军官统率他们。

攻城的策略

10 “你临近一座城,要攻打那城的时候,要先向那城提和议。 11 如果那城以和平的话回答你,给你开门,城里所有的人都要给你作苦工,服事你。 12 如果那城不肯与你言和,却要与你作战,你就要围困那城。 13 耶和华你的 神把城交在你手里的时候,你要用利刃杀尽城里所有的男丁。 14 只有妇人、小孩子、牲畜和城里所有的一切,就是一切战利品,你都可以据为己有,你的仇敌的战利品,你都可以吃用,因为这是耶和华你的 神赐给你的。 15 离开你很远的各城,不是属于这些国民的城,你都要这样对待他们。 16 只是在耶和华你的 神赐给你作产业的这些国民的城市里,凡有气息的,连一个你也不可让他活着; 17 只要照着耶和华你的 神吩咐你的,把赫人、亚摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人,完全灭绝; 18 免得他们教导你们学习一切可憎的事,就是他们对自己的神所行的事,以致你们得罪耶和华你们的 神。

19 “如果你围困一座城,很久才能攻取占领它,你就不可挥斧破坏那里的树木;因为你可以吃树上的果子,却不可以砍伐树木。难道田间的树木是人,可以被你围困的吗? 20 只有你知道不结果子的树木,你才可以毁坏砍伐,用来建造围城的设备,攻击那与你作战的城,直到把它攻下为止。”

交战的条例

20 “你们和敌人交战时,面对比你们强大的军队及战车战马,不要害怕,因为你们的上帝耶和华与你们同在,祂曾带领你们离开埃及。 你们出战之前,祭司要上前鼓舞士气, 说,‘以色列人啊,听着!今天你们要和敌人交战,不要胆怯,不要惧怕,也不要恐慌。 因为你们的上帝耶和华要与你们同去,为你们争战,使你们得胜。’ 官长要对士兵说,‘你们谁建了新房子还没有举行奉献礼[a]?他可以回家去,以免他阵亡了,别人为他的房子举行奉献礼。 谁栽种了葡萄园还没有享受过园中的果子?他可以回家去,以免他阵亡了,别人享受他园中的果子。 谁订了亲还没有迎娶?他可以回家去,以免他阵亡了,别人娶他的未婚妻。’ 官长也要告诉士兵,‘有没有胆怯、害怕的?他可以回家去,免得影响他人士气。’ 他们讲完后,就要委派将领率军出战。

攻城之略

10 “你们进攻一座城之前,要先给城中居民求和的机会。 11 如果他们开城投降,城里所有的人都要做你们的奴隶,为你们服劳役。 12 如果他们不肯投降,要交战,你们就要围攻那城。 13 你们的上帝耶和华把城交给你们时,你们要杀光城里所有的男子, 14 但可以留下城中的妇女、孩童、牲畜及其他一切作战利品。你们可以享用仇敌的财物,那是你们的上帝耶和华赐给你们的。 15 上述做法只适用于离你们很遥远的城邑,你们附近各族的城邑除外。 16 你们的上帝耶和华将把你们附近各族的城邑赐给你们,你们要将里面有气息的全部消灭。 17 要遵照你们的上帝耶和华的吩咐,彻底灭绝赫人、亚摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人和耶布斯人, 18 免得他们将祭拜自己神明的可憎习俗传给你们,以致你们得罪你们的上帝耶和华。

19 “你们围攻一座城久攻不下时,不可用斧头砍掉那里的树木,因为你们可以吃树上的果子。田间的树木岂是人,让你们围攻吗? 20 但你们可以砍那些不结果子的树来建围城的工事,直到攻陷为止。

Footnotes

  1. 20:5 举行奉献礼”指入住前举行的仪式,有些版本译为“开始入住”。

交戰的條例

20 「你們和敵人交戰時,面對比你們強大的軍隊及戰車戰馬,不要害怕,因為你們的上帝耶和華與你們同在,祂曾帶領你們離開埃及。 你們出戰之前,祭司要上前鼓舞士氣, 說,『以色列人啊,聽著!今天你們要和敵人交戰,不要膽怯,不要懼怕,也不要恐慌。 因為你們的上帝耶和華要與你們同去,為你們爭戰,使你們得勝。』 官長要對士兵說,『你們誰建了新房子還沒有舉行奉獻禮[a]?他可以回家去,以免他陣亡了,別人為他的房子舉行奉獻禮。 誰栽種了葡萄園還沒有享受過園中的果子?他可以回家去,以免他陣亡了,別人享受他園中的果子。 誰訂了親還沒有迎娶?他可以回家去,以免他陣亡了,別人娶他的未婚妻。』 官長也要告訴士兵,『有沒有膽怯、害怕的?他可以回家去,免得影響他人士氣。』 他們講完後,就要委派將領率軍出戰。

攻城之略

10 「你們進攻一座城之前,要先給城中居民求和的機會。 11 如果他們開城投降,城裡所有的人都要做你們的奴隸,為你們服勞役。 12 如果他們不肯投降,要交戰,你們就要圍攻那城。 13 你們的上帝耶和華把城交給你們時,你們要殺光城裡所有的男子, 14 但可以留下城中的婦女、孩童、牲畜及其他一切作戰利品。你們可以享用仇敵的財物,那是你們的上帝耶和華賜給你們的。 15 上述做法只適用於離你們很遙遠的城邑,你們附近各族的城邑除外。 16 你們的上帝耶和華將把你們附近各族的城邑賜給你們,你們要將裡面有氣息的全部消滅。 17 要遵照你們的上帝耶和華的吩咐,徹底滅絕赫人、亞摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人和耶布斯人, 18 免得他們將祭拜自己神明的可憎習俗傳給你們,以致你們得罪你們的上帝耶和華。

19 「你們圍攻一座城久攻不下時,不可用斧頭砍掉那裡的樹木,因為你們可以吃樹上的果子。田間的樹木豈是人,讓你們圍攻嗎? 20 但你們可以砍那些不結果子的樹來建圍城的工事,直到攻陷為止。

Footnotes

  1. 20·5 舉行奉獻禮」指入住前舉行的儀式,有些版本譯為「開始入住」。

Going to War

20 When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours,(A) do not be afraid(B) of them,(C) because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with(D) you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted(E) or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you(F) to fight(G) for you against your enemies to give you victory.(H)

The officers shall say to the army: “Has anyone built a new house and not yet begun to live in(I) it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may begin to live in it. Has anyone planted(J) a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it?(K) Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it. Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her.(L) Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.”(M) When the officers have finished speaking to the army, they shall appoint commanders over it.

10 When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace.(N) 11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject(O) to forced labor(P) and shall work for you. 12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it.(Q) 14 As for the women, the children, the livestock(R) and everything else in the city,(S) you may take these as plunder(T) for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the Lord your God gives you from your enemies. 15 This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance(U) from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.

16 However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes.(V) 17 Completely destroy[a] them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you. 18 Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods,(W) and you will sin(X) against the Lord your God.

19 When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people, that you should besiege them?[b] 20 However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees(Y) and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 20:17 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  2. Deuteronomy 20:19 Or down to use in the siege, for the fruit trees are for the benefit of people.

20 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,

And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;

For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.

And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.

And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.

And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart.

And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.

10 When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.

11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.

12 And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:

13 And when the Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:

14 But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the Lord thy God hath given thee.

15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.

16 But of the cities of these people, which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:

17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee:

18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the Lord your God.

19 When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege:

20 Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.

战争的条例

20 “你出去和你的仇敌作战的时候,看见马匹、车辆和比你多的人群,你不要怕他们,因为那把你们从埃及地领上来的耶和华你的 神,与你同在。 你们快要上战场的时候,祭司要上前来,对人民说话, 对他们说:‘以色列人哪,你们要听,你们今日快要和仇敌作战,你们不要胆怯,不要惧怕,不要惊慌,不要因他们的缘故战兢; 因为耶和华你们的 神和你们同去,要为你们攻打你们的仇敌,要拯救你们。’ 官长也要对人民宣告:‘谁建造了新房屋,还没有行过奉献礼的,他可以回家去,恐怕他死在战场上,别人去为他的房屋行奉献礼。 谁栽种了葡萄园,还没有享用过它的果子的,他可以回家去,恐怕他死在战场上,别人去享用它的果子。 谁与女子订了婚,还没有迎娶的,他可以回家去,恐怕他死在战场上,别人去娶了她。’ 官长又要对人民宣告:‘谁是惧怕、胆怯的,他可以回家去,恐怕他使他兄弟的心融化,像他的心一样。’ 官长对人民讲完了话,就要指派军官统率他们。

攻城的策略

10 “你临近一座城,要攻打那城的时候,要先向那城提和议。 11 如果那城以和平的话回答你,给你开门,城里所有的人都要给你作苦工,服事你。 12 如果那城不肯与你言和,却要与你作战,你就要围困那城。 13 耶和华你的 神把城交在你手里的时候,你要用利刃杀尽城里所有的男丁。 14 只有妇人、小孩子、牲畜和城里所有的一切,就是一切战利品,你都可以据为己有,你的仇敌的战利品,你都可以吃用,因为这是耶和华你的 神赐给你的。 15 离开你很远的各城,不是属于这些国民的城,你都要这样对待他们。 16 只是在耶和华你的 神赐给你作产业的这些国民的城市里,凡有气息的,连一个你也不可让他活着; 17 只要照着耶和华你的 神吩咐你的,把赫人、亚摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人,完全灭绝; 18 免得他们教导你们学习一切可憎的事,就是他们对自己的神所行的事,以致你们得罪耶和华你们的 神。

19 “如果你围困一座城,很久才能攻取占领它,你就不可挥斧破坏那里的树木;因为你可以吃树上的果子,却不可以砍伐树木。难道田间的树木是人,可以被你围困的吗? 20 只有你知道不结果子的树木,你才可以毁坏砍伐,用来建造围城的设备,攻击那与你作战的城,直到把它攻下为止。”

交战的条例

20 “你们和敌人交战时,面对比你们强大的军队及战车战马,不要害怕,因为你们的上帝耶和华与你们同在,祂曾带领你们离开埃及。 你们出战之前,祭司要上前鼓舞士气, 说,‘以色列人啊,听着!今天你们要和敌人交战,不要胆怯,不要惧怕,也不要恐慌。 因为你们的上帝耶和华要与你们同去,为你们争战,使你们得胜。’ 官长要对士兵说,‘你们谁建了新房子还没有举行奉献礼[a]?他可以回家去,以免他阵亡了,别人为他的房子举行奉献礼。 谁栽种了葡萄园还没有享受过园中的果子?他可以回家去,以免他阵亡了,别人享受他园中的果子。 谁订了亲还没有迎娶?他可以回家去,以免他阵亡了,别人娶他的未婚妻。’ 官长也要告诉士兵,‘有没有胆怯、害怕的?他可以回家去,免得影响他人士气。’ 他们讲完后,就要委派将领率军出战。

攻城之略

10 “你们进攻一座城之前,要先给城中居民求和的机会。 11 如果他们开城投降,城里所有的人都要做你们的奴隶,为你们服劳役。 12 如果他们不肯投降,要交战,你们就要围攻那城。 13 你们的上帝耶和华把城交给你们时,你们要杀光城里所有的男子, 14 但可以留下城中的妇女、孩童、牲畜及其他一切作战利品。你们可以享用仇敌的财物,那是你们的上帝耶和华赐给你们的。 15 上述做法只适用于离你们很遥远的城邑,你们附近各族的城邑除外。 16 你们的上帝耶和华将把你们附近各族的城邑赐给你们,你们要将里面有气息的全部消灭。 17 要遵照你们的上帝耶和华的吩咐,彻底灭绝赫人、亚摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人和耶布斯人, 18 免得他们将祭拜自己神明的可憎习俗传给你们,以致你们得罪你们的上帝耶和华。

19 “你们围攻一座城久攻不下时,不可用斧头砍掉那里的树木,因为你们可以吃树上的果子。田间的树木岂是人,让你们围攻吗? 20 但你们可以砍那些不结果子的树来建围城的工事,直到攻陷为止。

Footnotes

  1. 20:5 举行奉献礼”指入住前举行的仪式,有些版本译为“开始入住”。

交戰的條例

20 「你們和敵人交戰時,面對比你們強大的軍隊及戰車戰馬,不要害怕,因為你們的上帝耶和華與你們同在,祂曾帶領你們離開埃及。 你們出戰之前,祭司要上前鼓舞士氣, 說,『以色列人啊,聽著!今天你們要和敵人交戰,不要膽怯,不要懼怕,也不要恐慌。 因為你們的上帝耶和華要與你們同去,為你們爭戰,使你們得勝。』 官長要對士兵說,『你們誰建了新房子還沒有舉行奉獻禮[a]?他可以回家去,以免他陣亡了,別人為他的房子舉行奉獻禮。 誰栽種了葡萄園還沒有享受過園中的果子?他可以回家去,以免他陣亡了,別人享受他園中的果子。 誰訂了親還沒有迎娶?他可以回家去,以免他陣亡了,別人娶他的未婚妻。』 官長也要告訴士兵,『有沒有膽怯、害怕的?他可以回家去,免得影響他人士氣。』 他們講完後,就要委派將領率軍出戰。

攻城之略

10 「你們進攻一座城之前,要先給城中居民求和的機會。 11 如果他們開城投降,城裡所有的人都要做你們的奴隸,為你們服勞役。 12 如果他們不肯投降,要交戰,你們就要圍攻那城。 13 你們的上帝耶和華把城交給你們時,你們要殺光城裡所有的男子, 14 但可以留下城中的婦女、孩童、牲畜及其他一切作戰利品。你們可以享用仇敵的財物,那是你們的上帝耶和華賜給你們的。 15 上述做法只適用於離你們很遙遠的城邑,你們附近各族的城邑除外。 16 你們的上帝耶和華將把你們附近各族的城邑賜給你們,你們要將裡面有氣息的全部消滅。 17 要遵照你們的上帝耶和華的吩咐,徹底滅絕赫人、亞摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人和耶布斯人, 18 免得他們將祭拜自己神明的可憎習俗傳給你們,以致你們得罪你們的上帝耶和華。

19 「你們圍攻一座城久攻不下時,不可用斧頭砍掉那裡的樹木,因為你們可以吃樹上的果子。田間的樹木豈是人,讓你們圍攻嗎? 20 但你們可以砍那些不結果子的樹來建圍城的工事,直到攻陷為止。

Footnotes

  1. 20·5 舉行奉獻禮」指入住前舉行的儀式,有些版本譯為「開始入住」。

Going to War

20 When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours,(A) do not be afraid(B) of them,(C) because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with(D) you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted(E) or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you(F) to fight(G) for you against your enemies to give you victory.(H)

The officers shall say to the army: “Has anyone built a new house and not yet begun to live in(I) it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may begin to live in it. Has anyone planted(J) a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it?(K) Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it. Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her.(L) Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.”(M) When the officers have finished speaking to the army, they shall appoint commanders over it.

10 When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace.(N) 11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject(O) to forced labor(P) and shall work for you. 12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it.(Q) 14 As for the women, the children, the livestock(R) and everything else in the city,(S) you may take these as plunder(T) for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the Lord your God gives you from your enemies. 15 This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance(U) from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.

16 However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes.(V) 17 Completely destroy[a] them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you. 18 Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods,(W) and you will sin(X) against the Lord your God.

19 When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people, that you should besiege them?[b] 20 However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees(Y) and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 20:17 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  2. Deuteronomy 20:19 Or down to use in the siege, for the fruit trees are for the benefit of people.

20 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,

And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;

For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.

And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.

And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.

And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart.

And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.

10 When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.

11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.

12 And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:

13 And when the Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:

14 But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the Lord thy God hath given thee.

15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.

16 But of the cities of these people, which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:

17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee:

18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the Lord your God.

19 When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege:

20 Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.