Deuteronomy 20:19

Now when you lay siege to a town and it goes on for a long time as you fight to capture it, don't destroy the fruit trees there. You can eat their fruit. Don't cut them down. Are the trees in the orchard human beings that you should also attack?

Free Bible Version

In The King James Version

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:

In Context

18This is to prevent them from teaching you all the offensive things that they do in worshiping their gods, and by doing so make you sin against the Lord your God.

20However, you may destroy the trees that you know are not fruit trees. You can use them to build siege equipment to attack the town that is fighting against you until it falls.

Read all of Deuteronomy 20

Cross References

2 Kings 3:19You will conquer every fortified town, and every important town. You will chop down every good tree, block up every spring, and spoil every good field by throwing stones on them.”

Matthew 3:10In fact the ax is ready to chop down the trees. Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

Matthew 21:19He saw a fig tree at the side of the road, so he went over to it but didn't find any fruit, only leaves. He told the fig tree, “May you never ever produce fruit again!” Immediately the fig tree withered.

John 15:2He cuts off every one of my branches that doesn't bear fruit. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so it can bear even more.

Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 20:11-20

Proclamations of War; Directions Concerning War. ( b. c. 1451.) 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… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Deuteronomy 20:19