Add parallel Print Page Options

19 “If[a] you besiege a town for many days to make war against it in order to seize it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them,[b] for you may eat from them,[c] and so you must not cut them[d] down. Are the trees of the field humans that they should come in siege against you?[e] 20 Only[f] the trees[g] that you know are not fruit trees[h] you may destroy and you may cut down, and you may build siege works against that city that is making war with you until it falls.”[i]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 20:19 Or “when”
  2. Deuteronomy 20:19 Hebrew “it”
  3. Deuteronomy 20:19 Hebrew “it”
  4. Deuteronomy 20:19 Hebrew “it”
  5. Deuteronomy 20:19 Literally “from your face”
  6. Deuteronomy 20:20 Or “But”
  7. Deuteronomy 20:20 Hebrew “tree”
  8. Deuteronomy 20:20 Literally “not a tree of food”
  9. Deuteronomy 20:20 Literally “it to fall”

19 “When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it in order to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can get food from them. Do not cut them down. Are trees of the field human, to come under siege by you? 20 But you may destroy the trees that you know do not produce food. You may cut them down to build siege works against the city that is waging war against you, until it falls.

Read full chapter