Deuteronomy 20:17-19

EasyEnglish Bible

¹⁷ You must completely destroy all the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites. The Lord your God has commanded you to do this to the people of those nations.^{[a] 18} If not, they would teach you all the evil things that they do to worship their gods. They would cause you to do bad things against the Lord your God.

¹⁹ Perhaps you are preparing to attack a city. Your soldiers may have their camp around the city for a long time. If so, you must not cut down the fruit trees. Then you can eat the fruit from them. These trees are not people, like your enemies! So do not attack them!