²³ “‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden.^[a] For three years you are to consider it forbidden^[b]; it must not be eaten. ²⁴ In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy,^(A) an offering of praise to the Lord. ²⁵ But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am 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?^[a]

²⁰ However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees^(A) and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls.