Deuteronomy 20:18-20

20:18 so that they cannot teach you all the abhorrent ways they worship ¹  their gods, causing you to sin against the Lord your God. 20:19 If you besiege a city for a long time while attempting to capture it, ²  you must not chop down its trees, ³  for you may eat fruit ⁴  from them and should not cut them down. A tree in the field is not human that you should besiege it! ⁵  20:20 However, you may chop down any tree you know is not suitable for food, ⁶  and you may use it to build siege works ⁷  against the city that is making war with you until that city falls.

¹ tn Heb “to do according to all their abominations which they do for their gods.”

² tn Heb “to fight against it to capture it.”

³ tn Heb “you must not destroy its trees by chopping them with an iron” (i.e., an ax).

⁴ tn Heb “you may eat from them.” The direct object is not expressed; the word “fruit” is supplied in the translation for clarity.

⁵ tn Heb “to go before you in siege.”

⁶ tn Heb “however, a tree which you know is not a tree for food you may destroy and cut down.”

⁷ tn Heb “[an] enclosure.” The term מָצוֹר (matsor) may refer to encircling ditches or to surrounding stagings. See R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 238.