Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls. New Living Translation You may only cut down trees that you know are not valuable for food. Use them to make the equipment you need to attack the enemy town until it falls. English Standard Version Only the trees that you know are not trees for food you may destroy and cut down, that you may build siegeworks against the city that makes war with you, until it falls. Berean Standard Bible But you may destroy the trees that you know do not produce fruit. Use them to build siege works against the city that is waging war against you, until it falls. King James Bible 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. New King James Version Only the trees which you know are not trees for food you may destroy and cut down, to build siegeworks against the city that makes war with you, until it is subdued. New American Standard Bible Only the trees that you know are not fruit trees you shall destroy and cut down, so that you may construct siegeworks against the city that is making war against you until it falls. NASB 1995 “Only the trees which you know are not fruit trees you shall destroy and cut down, that you may construct siegeworks against the city that is making war with you until it falls. NASB 1977 “Only the trees which you know are not fruit trees you shall destroy and cut down, that you may construct siegeworks against the city that is making war with you until it falls. Legacy Standard Bible Only the trees which you know are not trees for food you shall destroy and cut down, that you may build siegeworks against the city that is making war with you until it falls. Amplified Bible Only the trees which you know are not fruit trees shall you destroy and cut down, so that you may build siegeworks against the city that is making war with you until it falls. Christian Standard Bible 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. Holman Christian Standard Bible 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.” American Standard Version Only the trees of which thou knowest that they are not trees for food, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it fall. Contemporary English Version You may need wood to make ladders and towers to help you get over the walls and capture the town. But use only trees that you know are not fruit trees. English Revised 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 fall. GOD'S WORD® Translation You may destroy trees that you know are not fruit trees. You may cut them down and use them in your blockade until you capture the city. Good News Translation You may cut down the other trees and use them in the siege mounds until the city is captured. International Standard Version However, you may cut down the trees whose fruit you know isn't edible, in order to build siege works against the city that waged war with you, until it falls." Majority Standard Bible But you may destroy the trees that you know do not produce fruit. Use them to build siege works against the city that is waging war against you, until it falls. NET Bible However, you may chop down any tree you know is not suitable for food, and you may use it to build siege works against the city that is making war with you until that city falls. New Heart English Bible Only the trees of which you know that they are not trees for food, you shall destroy and cut them down; and you shall build siege works against the city that makes war with you, until it fall. Webster's Bible Translation Only the trees which thou knowest that they are not trees for food, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it shall be subdued. World English Bible Only the trees that you know are not trees for food, you shall destroy and cut them down. You shall build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until it falls. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionOnly, the tree of which you know that it [is] not a fruit-tree, you destroy it, and have cut [it] down, and have built a bulwark against the city which is making war with you until you have subdued it.” Young's Literal Translation Only, the tree, which thou knowest that it is not a fruit-tree, it thou dost destroy, and hast cut down, and hast built a bulwark against the city which is making with thee war till thou hast subdued it. Smith's Literal Translation Only the tree which thou shalt know that it is not a tree of food, thou shalt destroy it, and cut down, and build a fortress against the city which made way with thee, till it came down. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBut if there be any trees that are not fruitful, but wild, and fit for other uses, cut them down, and make engines, until thou take the city, which fighteth against thee. Catholic Public Domain Version But if there are any trees which are not fruitful, but are wild, and if these are fit for other uses, then cut them down, and make machines, until you have captured the city that is contending against you.” New American Bible However, those trees which you know are not fruit trees you may destroy. You may cut them down to build siegeworks against the city that is waging war with you, until it falls. New Revised Standard Version You may destroy only the trees that you know do not produce food; you may cut them down for use in building siegeworks against the town that makes war with you, until it falls. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleOnly the trees which you know are not trees for food you may destroy and cut down that you may build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until it is captured. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated But destroy and cut down only a tree which you know is not a tree for food, and build mounds against the town that makes war with you until you conquer it.” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Only the trees of which thou knowest that they are not trees for food, them thou mayest destroy and cut down, that thou mayest build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it fall. Brenton Septuagint Translation But the tree which thou knowest to be not fruit-bearing, this thou shalt destroy and cut down; and thou shalt construct a mound against the city, which makes war against thee, until it be delivered up. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Laws of Warfare…19When you lay siege to a city for an extended time while fighting against it to capture it, you must not destroy its trees by putting an axe to them, because you can eat their fruit. You must not cut them down. Are the trees of the field human, that you should besiege them? 20But you may destroy the trees that you know do not produce fruit. Use them to build siege works against the city that is waging war against you, until it falls. Cross References Joshua 6:24 Then the Israelites burned up the city and everything in it. However, they put the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house. 1 Samuel 15:3 Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’” 2 Kings 3:19 And you shall attack every fortified city and every city of importance. You shall cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every good field with stones.” Isaiah 10:33-34 Behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts will lop off the branches with terrifying power. The tall trees will be cut down, the lofty ones will be felled. / He will clear the forest thickets with an axe, and Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One. Jeremiah 6:6 For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Cut down the trees and raise a siege ramp against Jerusalem. This city must be punished; there is nothing but oppression in her midst. Ezekiel 21:2-3 “Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel / and tell her that this is what the LORD says: ‘I am against you, and I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. Matthew 3:10 The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Luke 3:9 The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” John 15:2 He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful. Romans 11:17-24 Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root, / do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. / You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ... 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, / his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. / If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. ... Hebrews 6:7-8 For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God. / But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless, and its curse is imminent. In the end it will be burned. Revelation 8:7 Then the first angel sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, along with a third of the trees and all the green grass. Revelation 9:4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. Revelation 11:4 These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. Treasury of Scripture Only the trees which you know that they be not trees for meat, you shall destroy and cut them down; and you shall build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until it be subdued. thou shalt build Deuteronomy 1:28 Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there. 2 Chronicles 26:15 And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong. Ecclesiastes 9:14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it: be subdued [heb] come down Jump to Previous Attack Build Built Bulwark Bulwarks City Construct Cut Destroy Destruction However Makes Maketh Making Mayest Meat Siege Siegeworks Subdued Tree Trees Use Used Walls WarJump to Next Attack Build Built Bulwark Bulwarks City Construct Cut Destroy Destruction However Makes Maketh Making Mayest Meat Siege Siegeworks Subdued Tree Trees Use Used Walls WarDeuteronomy 20 1. The priest's exhortation to encourage the people to battle5. The officers' proclamation of who are to be dismissed from the war 10. How to use the cities that accept or refuse the proclamation of peace 16. What cities must be devoted 19. Trees must not be destroyed in the siege However This word introduces a contrast or exception to the previous instructions given in the text. In the context of Deuteronomy 20, God provides specific guidelines for warfare, emphasizing the importance of preserving life and resources. The Hebrew word used here, "raq," often signifies a limitation or condition, reminding the Israelites of the balance between justice and mercy, even in times of war. you may chop down any tree that you know is not producing food and use it to build siege works against the city that is waging war against you until it falls
Hebrew Butרַ֞ק (raq) Adverb Strong's 7535: But, even, except, howbeit howsoever, at the least, nevertheless you may destroy תַשְׁחִ֖ית (ṯaš·ḥîṯ) Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 7843: Perhaps to go to ruin the trees עֵ֣ץ (‘êṣ) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood that אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that you know תֵּדַ֗ע (tê·ḏa‘) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 3045: To know do not לֹא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no produce fruit. מַאֲכָל֙ (ma·’ă·ḵāl) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3978: An eatable [Use them] וְכָרָ֑תָּ (wə·ḵā·rā·tā) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant to build וּבָנִ֣יתָ (ū·ḇā·nî·ṯā) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 1129: To build siege works מָצ֗וֹר (mā·ṣō·wr) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4692: Something hemming in, a mound, a siege, distress, a fastness against עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against the city הָעִיר֙ (hā·‘îr) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5892: Excitement that אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that is waging עֹשָׂ֧ה (‘ō·śāh) Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular Strong's 6213: To do, make war מִלְחָמָ֖ה (mil·ḥā·māh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 4421: A battle, war against you, עִמְּךָ֛ (‘im·mə·ḵā) Preposition | second person masculine singular Strong's 5973: With, equally with until עַ֥ד (‘aḏ) Preposition Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while it falls. רִדְתָּֽהּ׃ (riḏ·tāh) Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend Links Deuteronomy 20:20 NIVDeuteronomy 20:20 NLT Deuteronomy 20:20 ESV Deuteronomy 20:20 NASB Deuteronomy 20:20 KJV Deuteronomy 20:20 BibleApps.com Deuteronomy 20:20 Biblia Paralela Deuteronomy 20:20 Chinese Bible Deuteronomy 20:20 French Bible Deuteronomy 20:20 Catholic Bible OT Law: Deuteronomy 20:20 Only the trees of which you know (Deut. De Du) |
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