King James Version

Deuteronomy 20:19

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:

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Hebrew

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כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…תָצ֣וּרtatsuradversaryצוּרverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “adversary”, an unfinished actionH6696to cramp, i.e. confine (in many applications, literally and figuratively, formative or hostile)adversary, assault, beset, besiege, bind (up), cast, distress, fashion, fortify, inclose, lay siege, put up in bags.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).עִיר֩ircityעִירnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “city”, the ordinary formH5892a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.יָמִ֨יםyamimas long asיוֹםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “as long as”, the ordinary formH3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon…רַבִּ֜יםrabimaboundרַבadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “abound”, the ordinary formH7227abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly), captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man, one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold, things, a time), (ship-)master, mighty, more, (too, very) much, multiply(-tude),…לְֽהִלָּחֵ֧םlehilachemto devourלָחַםpreposition, verb, niphal, infinitive construct — “to devour”, the to-form of the verbH3898to feed on; figuratively, to consume; by implication, to battle (as destruction)devour, eat, [idiom] ever, fight(-ing), overcome, prevail, (make) war(-ring).עָלֶ֣יהָaleyhaaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…לְתָפְשָׂ֗הּletafesahto catchתָּפַשׂpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “to catch”, the to-form of the verbH8610to manipulate, i.e. seize; chiefly to capture, wield, specifically, to overlay; figuratively, to use unwarrantablycatch, handle, (lay, take) hold (on, over), stop, [idiom] surely, surprise, take.לֹֽאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תַשְׁחִ֤יתtashchitbatterשָׁחַתverb, hiphil, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “batter”, an unfinished actionH7843to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively)batter, cast off, corrupt(-er, thing), destroy(-er, -uction), lose, mar, perish, spill, spoiler, [idiom] utterly, waste(-r).אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).עֵצָהּ֙etsahtreeעֵץnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “tree”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6086a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks)[phrase] carpenter, gallows, helve, [phrase] pine, plank, staff, stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood.לִנְדֹּ֤חַlindochato banishנָדַחpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to banish”, the to-form of the verbH5080to push off; used in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively (to expel, mislead, strike, inflict, etc.)banish, bring, cast down (out), chase, compel, draw away, drive (away, out, quite), fetch a stroke, force, go away, outcast, thrust away (out), withdraw.עָלָיו֙alayvaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…גַּרְזֶ֔ןgarzenaxגַּרְזֶןnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “ax”, the ordinary formH1631an axeax.כִּ֚יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…מִמֶּ֣נּוּmimenvfromמִןpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “from”H4480properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many sensesabove, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with.תֹאכֵ֔לtokheleatאָכַלverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “eat”, an unfinished actionH398to eat (literally or figuratively)[idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite.וְאֹת֖וֹveotvoand object markerאֵתconjunction, particle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תִכְרֹ֑תtikhrotcovenantכָּרַתverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “covenant”, an unfinished actionH3772to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces)be chewed, be con-(feder-) ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league (covenant), [idiom] lose, perish, [idiom] utterly, [idiom] want.כִּ֤יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…הָֽאָדָם֙haadampersonאָדָםparticle, interrogative, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “person”, the ordinary formH120ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)[idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.עֵ֣ץetstreeעֵץnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “tree”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6086a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks)[phrase] carpenter, gallows, helve, [phrase] pine, plank, staff, stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood.הַשָּׂדֶ֔הhasadehthe fieldשָׂדֶהdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the field”, the ordinary formH7704a field (as flat)country, field, ground, land, soil, [idiom] wild.לָבֹ֥אlavoto to comeבּוֹאpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to to come”, the to-form of the verbH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…מִפָּנֶ֖יךָmipaneykhafrom a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “from a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…בַּמָּצֽוֹרbamatsorin siegeמָצוֹרpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in siege”, the ordinary formH4692something hemming in, i.e. (objectively) a mound (of besiegers), (abstractly) a siege, (figuratively) distress; or (subjectively) a fastnessbesieged, bulwark, defence, fenced, fortress, siege, strong (hold), tower.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

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 wielding an axe against them; for thou mayest eat of them, but thou shalt not cut them down; for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged of thee?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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 wielding an axe against them; for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down; for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged of thee?

Young’s Literal Translation

'When thou layest siege unto a city many days, to fight against it, to capture it, thou dost not destroy its trees to force an axe against them, for of them thou dost eat, and them thou dost not cut down — for man's [is] the tree of the field — to go in at thy presence in the siege.

World English Bible

When you shall besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them; for you may eat of them. You shall not cut them down, for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged by you?

Darby Translation

When thou shalt besiege a city many days, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by lifting up an axe against them; for thou canst eat of them; and thou shalt not cut them down, for is the tree of the field a man that it should be besieged?

Douay-Rheims

When thou hast besieged a city a long time, and hath compassed it with bulwarks to take it, thou shalt not cut down the trees that may be eaten of, neither shalt thou spoil the country round about with axes: for it is a tree, and not a man, neither can it increase the number of them that fight against thee.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And if thou shouldest besiege a city many days to prevail against it by war to take it, thou shalt not destroy its trees, by applying an iron tool to them, but thou shalt eat of it, and shalt not cut it down: Is the tree that is in the field a man, to enter before thee into the work of the siege?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐὰν δὲ περικαθίσῃς περὶ πόλιν μίαν ἡμέρας πλείους ἐκπολεμῆσαι αὐτὴν εἰς κατάληψιν αὐτῆς, οὐκ ἐξολεθρεύσεις τὰ δένδρα αὐτῆς, ἐπιβαλεῖν ἐπʼ αὐτὰ σίδηρον, ἀλλʼ ἢ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ φαγῇ, αὐτὸ δὲ οὐκ ἐκκόψεις· μὴ ἄνθρωπος τὸ ξύλον τὸ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, εἰσελθεῖν ἀπὸ προσώπου σου εἰς τὸν χάρακα;