Deuteronomy 20:20

Onely those trees, which thou knowest are not for meate, those shalt thou destroy and cut downe, and make fortes against the citie that maketh warre with thee, vntil thou subdue it.

Geneva Bible 1599

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

19When thou hast besieged a citie long time, and made warre against it to take it, destroy not the trees therof, by smiting an axe into them: for thou mayest eate of them: therfore thou shalt not cut them downe to further thee in the siege, (for the tree of the field is mans life)

Read all of Deuteronomy 20

Cross References

2 Kings 3:19And ye shall smite euery strong towne and euery chiefe citie, and shall fell euery faire tree, and shall stoppe all the fountaines of water, and marre euery good fielde with stones.

Ecclesiastes 9:14A litle citie and fewe men in it, and a great King came against it, and compassed it about, and builded fortes against it.

Jeremiah 6:6For thus hath the Lord of hostes said, Hewe downe wood, and cast a mounte against Ierusalem: this citie must be visited: all oppression is in the middes of it.

Ezekiel 17:17Neither shall Pharaoh with his mightie hoste, and great multitude of people, mainteine him in the warre, when they haue cast vp mounts, and builded ramparts to destroy many persons.

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

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