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Deuteronomy Chapter
Twenty
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 20
In
this chapter rules are given to be observed in times of war. When a battle was
near
a priest was to address the soldiers
and encourage them to fight
Deuteronomy 20:1
then the officers were to declare who might return home
Deuteronomy 20:5
when an enemy's city was approached
peace was to be proclaimed on certain
conditions
which
if accepted of
the inhabitants were to be tributaries and
servants
but if not
when taken
all were to be put to the sword
excepting
women
children
and cattle
Deuteronomy 20:10
but those of the seven nations were to be utterly destroyed
Deuteronomy 20:16
and
during a siege
no trees bearing fruit fit for food were to be cut down
Deuteronomy 20:19.
Deuteronomy 20:1 “When you go out to battle against your enemies
and see
horses and chariots and people more numerous than you
do not be afraid
of them; for the Lord your God is with you
who brought you up from the land
of Egypt.
YLT
1`When thou goest out to
battle against thine enemy
and hast seen horse and chariot -- a people more
numerous than thou -- thou art not afraid of them
for Jehovah thy God [is]
with thee
who is bringing thee up out of the land of Egypt;
When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies
.... There
were two sorts of war the Israelites were engaged in
one commanded and another
permitted
as MaimonidesF3Hilchot Melachim
c. 7. sect. 1.
distinguishes; one was by the order and appointment of God
as against the
seven nations of Canaan; the other was voluntary and arbitrary
which was left
to their own discretion and will
as they saw fit
when they were provoked or
distressed
or were invaded by their enemies
or they saw reason to go out
against them
and either act the offensive or defensive part
or both; and of
each of these some things are said in this chapter:
and seest horses and chariots
and a people more than thou; the Israelites
had no horses
and so no chariots
their armies were all infantry; but their
neighbouring nations that made war with them had a large cavalry
and
multitudes of chariots
which made them very formidable; thus Shishak
king of
Egypt
in the times of Rehoboam
came against Jerusalem with 1200 chariots and
60
000
horsemen
and people without number; and Zerah the Ethiopian
in the
times of Asa
came against him with an host of 100
000 men
and three hundred
chariots
2 Chronicles 12:2.
be not afraid of them; because of the strength
of their cavalry
the terrible approaches of their chariots
and the number of
their men:
for the Lord thy God is with thee; hence
as Hezekiah says
more would be with them than with their enemies
with whom was an arm of flesh
but with them the Lord their God
2 Chronicles 32:7
and so the Targum of Jonathan
"for all of them shall be reckoned as one
horse and one chariot before the Lord your God;'with whom numbers are nothing;
and which adds
"for his Word shall be your help;'the eternal Logos
or
Word of God; so Onkelos; and if God and his Word
his only begotten Son
are on
the side of his people
they have nothing to fear from enemies
though ever so
many and mighty:
which brought thee out of the land of Egypt; which is
observed for the encouragement of their faith and confidence in him; for he
that did that for them
what is it he cannot or will not do?
Deuteronomy 20:2 2 So
it shall be
when you are on the verge of battle
that the priest shall
approach and speak to the people.
YLT
2and it hath been
in your
drawing near unto the battle
that the priest hath come nigh
and spoken unto
the people
When
all things are preparing for it
and it seems unavoidable:
that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people; not any
priest
but one appointed for this service; who is called
the anointed of war
as Jarchi and Aben Ezra
observe
and concerning whom MaimonidesF4Hilchot Melachim
c. 7.
sect. 1
2. is more particular; he says
"they appoint a priest to speak to
the people at the time of war
and they anoint him with the anointing oil
and
he is called the anointed of war; twice the anointed of war speaks unto the
people
once in a book at the time they go forth
before they set in battle
array
he says to the people
"what man is there"
&c. and when
he has caused his words to be heard
he returns; at another time
when they are
set in array
he says
"fear not"
&c.'this man seems to be an
emblem of Gospel ministers
who are anointed with the gifts and graces of the
Spirit of God
and whose business it is to encourage the people of God to fight
the Lord's battles against sin
Satan
and the world
and not to be afraid of
their spiritual enemies; directing them to take to them the whole armour of
God
and to endure hardness as good soldiers of Christ
to follow him the
captain of their salvation
assuring them of victory through him who makes them
more than conquerors
and that their warfare is or shortly will be
accomplished.
Deuteronomy 20:3 3 And
he shall say to them
‘Hear
O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle
with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint
do not be afraid
and do not
tremble or be terrified because of them;
YLT
3and said unto them
Hear
Israel
ye are drawing near to-day to battle against your enemies
let not your
hearts be tender
fear not
nor make haste
nor be terrified at their presence
And shall say unto them
hear
O Israel
.... Exciting
their attention to what he was about to say
and which
as Jarchi observes
was
spoken in the holy tongue
or in the Hebrew language:
you approach this day unto battle against your enemies; were marching
or ready to march
preparing to engage with them
and a battle seemed near at
hand:
let not your hearts faint
fear not
and do not tremble
neither
be ye terrified because of them; many words are made use of to animate them
against those fears which the strength
number
and appearance of their
enemies
would be apt to cause in them. Jarchi observes
that here are four
exhortations
answerable to four things which the kings of the nations do (in
order to inject terror into their enemies); they shake their shields
to clash
them one against another
that hearing their noise they may be afraid of them
and flee; they prance their horses
and make them neigh
to cause the noise of
the hoofs of their horses to be heard; they shout with their voices
and blow
with their trumpets: and accordingly these several clauses are so interpreted
in the MisnahF5Misn. Sotah
c. 8. sect. 1. ""and let not
your hearts faint"; at the neighing of the horses
and the brightness of
swords: "fear not"; at the clashing of shields: "and do not
tremble"; at the sound of trumpets: "neither be ye terrified" at
the voice of shouting;'and no doubt but it takes in everything that has a tendency
to cause fear
faintness
and dismay
which they are cautioned against.
Deuteronomy 20:4 4 for
the Lord your God is He who goes with you
to fight for you
against your enemies
to save you.’
YLT
4for Jehovah your God [is]
He who is going with you
to fight for you with your enemies -- to save you.
For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you
.... To
battle
and therefore they had no reason to fear and be dismayed
to be
fainthearted
terrified
and tremble:
fear not
I am with thee
.... Isaiah 41:10
this
according to the MisnahF6Ut supra. (Misn. Sotab
c. 8. sect. 1.)
respects the ark
and so Jarchi
which was a symbol of the divine Presence
and
went with them to battle; see Joshua 6:4.
to fight for you against your enemies
to save you; to annoy and
destroy the one
and to protect and save the other; thus far the anointed
priest addressed the people in an oration to this purpose: the account
Maimonides gives of it is
that"when they have set their ranks
and are
near to a battle
the anointed of war stands on an high place
and all the
ranks before him
and says to them in the holy tongue
"hear
O
Israel"
&c. unto to save you; and then another priest under him
causes it to be heard by all the people with an high voiceF7Hilchot
Melachim
c. 7. sect. 3. ;'he repeated what the anointed of war had said
and
expressed it with a loud voice
that all might hear.
Deuteronomy 20:5 5 “Then the officers shall speak to the people
saying:
‘What man is there who has built a new house and has not dedicated it?
Let him go and return to his house
lest he die in the battle and another man
dedicate it.
YLT
5`And the authorities have
spoken unto the people
saying
Who [is] the man that hath built a new house
and hath not dedicated it? -- let him go and turn back to his house
lest he
die in battle
and another man dedicate it.
And the officers shall speak unto the people
.... What
these officers were is not easy to say; they seem not to be officers of the
army
for they are distinguished from captains of the armies
Deuteronomy 20:9
unless they can be thought to be general officers; but the word for them is the
same that is used of such that attended the judges and were ministers to them
Deuteronomy 16:18
and perhaps they were a sort of heralds that published and proclaimed what the
anointed of war had said; and so the above writerF8Hilchot Melachim
c. 7. sect. 3. affirms
that what here follows was first spoken by him
and
after that (what is said
Deuteronomy 20:3)
the anointed of war speaks
saying:
what man is there
.... (to the end of Deuteronomy 20:7)
thus far the anointed of war speaks
and then an officer causes all the people
to hear it with an high voice
saying:
what man is there that hath built a new house
and hath not
dedicated it? or perfected it
as the Targum of Jonathan
not quite finished
it
has not
as that paraphrast says
fixed in it the door posts
or rather
perhaps he means the Mezuzah
or writing
which the Jews thought themselves
obliged to fasten to the door posts of their houses; see Deuteronomy 11:20
until this was done
an house was not thought to be completed; though Jarchi
interprets this of inhabitation; of a man's having built a house
but has not
yet dwelt in it; see Deuteronomy 28:30
so JosephusF9Antiqu. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 41. explains it
of its not
having been used and enjoyed by a man a full year; but there seems to be
something more than all this in dedication; for though it does not signify a
consecration or dedication of it to holy uses
as the dedication of the
tabernacle and temple
yet there was something done
some ceremony used at
entrance into a new house; a good man entered into it
no doubt
with prayer
and praise
as the thirtieth psalm was composed by David at the dedication of
his house; see Nehemiah 12:27 and
perhaps it was usual to have their friends together
and make a cheerful
entertainment on the occasion. Ben Melech on the place
assures us it was a
custom to make a feast and merriment at eating the first meal in a new house:
let him go and return to his house
lest he die in the battle
and
another man dedicate it; or perfect it
as the above Targum
or dwell in it
as well as
have the pleasure of entertaining his friends in it at the first opening of it;
this was either a command
enjoining a man
in such a circumstance
to return
and so the rest that follow
or a permission to him
allowing him to do it if
he thought fit.
Deuteronomy 20:6 6 Also what man is there who has planted a
vineyard and has not eaten of it? Let him go and return to his house
lest he
die in the battle and another man eat of it.
YLT
6`And who [is] the man that
hath planted a vineyard
and hath not made it common? -- let him go and turn
back to his house
lest he die in battle
and another man make it common.
And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard
and hath not yet
eaten of it?.... Which he has a right to do
and it is hard for him to be
deprived of it
1 Corinthians 9:7
or "hath not made it common"F11לא
חללו "necdum fecit eam esse communem"
V.
L. "et non fecit eam communem"
Vatablus
Fagius. ; according to the
law in Leviticus 19:23.
Three years the fruit of trees
and so of vines
might not be eaten; in the
fourth
they were devoted to the Lord
and might be redeemed from the priest
and so made common; and on the fifth year were eaten in course; so the Targums
of Jerusalem
Jonathan
and Jarchi
interpret it: "let him also go and
return unto his house
lest he die in the battle
and another man eat of
it"; or make it common
according to the above law: Aben Ezra seems to
have another sense of this passage
deriving the word from another
which
signifies piping and dancing
and observes
that it was a custom to sing
pipe
and dance in vineyards; and the Septuagint version is
"hath not been made
merry of it"; though that may signify not having drank of the wine of it
to be made merry with it.
Deuteronomy 20:7 7 And what man is there who is betrothed to a
woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house
lest he die
in the battle and another man marry her.’
YLT
7`And who [is] the man that
hath betrothed a woman
and hath not taken her? -- let him go and turn back to
his house
lest he die in battle
and another man take her.
And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife
and hath not
taken her?.... Home to his house and bedded with her; has only betrothed
her
but is not properly married to her
the nuptials are not completed; this
the Jews understand of anyone betrothed to him
whether a virgin or a widow
or
the wife of a deceased brother (yea
they say
if his brother is dead in war
he returns and comes home)
but not of a former wife divorced and received
againF13Misn. Sotah
ib. sect. 2. :
let him go and return unto his house
lest he die in battle
and
another man take her; or marry her.
Deuteronomy 20:8 8 “The officers shall speak further to the people
and
say
‘What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and
return to his house
lest the heart of his brethren faint[a] like his
heart.’
YLT
8`And the authorities have
added to speak unto the people
and said
Who [is] the man that is afraid and
tender of heart? -- let him go and turn back to his house
and the heart of his
brethren doth not melt like his heart;
And the officers shall speak further unto the people
.... According
to MaimonidesF14Ut supra. (Hilchot Melachim
c. 7. sect. 3.)
the
priest the anointed of war spoke to the end of Deuteronomy 20:7
and which the officers repeated after him to the people aloud
as before
observed; and then after that an officer speaks of himself
or in his own
words
and not in those of the priest
as follows:
what man that is fearful
&c. and then another
officer causes all the people to hear it:
and they shall say
what man is there that is fearful and
fainthearted? that has not courage to face his enemies
to whom the terrors of
war
and especially of death
are dreadful; the Targum of Jonathan
adds
"because of his sin;'whose sins stare him in the face
and lie heavy
on his conscience; so that he is afraid he shall die in battle
and in his
sins
and suffer divine vengeance; both these senses are observed in the MisnahF25Misn.
Sotah
c. 8. sect. 5. . According to R. Akiba
a fearful and fainthearted man
is one"that cannot stand in battle array
or behold a drawn sword; but R.
Jose the Galilean says
he is one that is afraid of the transgressions he has
committed; and therefore the law joins to this all those things for which a man
may return;'as having built a new house
planted a vineyard
and betrothed a
wife; that so it might be thought it was on account of one or other of these
that he returned
and not through faintheartedness
either because of the
terrors of war
or of his own conscience for his sins:
let him go and return to his house
lest his brethren's heart
faint as well as his heart; lest
by his pale looks and trembling
joints
his fainting fits and swoons
he discourage the rest in the same
company with him
and by his example make them unfit for war also.
Deuteronomy 20:9 9 And so it shall be
when the officers have finished
speaking to the people
that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the
people.
YLT
9and it hath come to pass as
the authorities finish to speak unto the people
that they have appointed
princes of the hosts at the head of the people.
And it shall be
when the officers have made an end of speaking
unto the people
.... By reciting what the anointed of war said unto them
and by
speeches of their own framing
to encourage to the battle; and all were
dismissed that had leave to depart
and chose to take it:
that they shall make captains of armies to lead on the people; on to battle;
that is
either the officers should do this
which may seem to confirm what has
been hinted
that they might be generals of the army
who constituted captains
under them
to lead the people on to battle: unless this is to be understood of
the princes of Israel
or of the king when they had one
and his ministers; for
it does not appear in any instance that the people chose their own officers
over them
to go out before them
and lead them on to battle; or "to be at
the head of them"F26בראש העם "in capite populi"
Pagninus
Montanus. ;
which the Jewish writers understand in a very different sense; not to head
them
or be at the head of them
to direct and command them
but to keep them
from deserting: their sense is
that the officers having dismissed persons in
the circumstances before described
and set stout men before them
and others
behind them (i.e. the army of the people)
with iron hatchets in their hands
and every one that sought to return
they had power to cut off his legs; since
flight is the beginning of falling before their enemiesF1Misn. ut
supra (Sotah
c. 8.)
sect. 6. .
Deuteronomy 20:10 10 “When you go near a city to fight against it
then
proclaim an offer of peace to it.
YLT
10`When thou drawest near
unto a city to fight against it
then thou hast called unto it for Peace
When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it
.... This is
to be understood of an arbitrary war
as Jarchi observes; which they engaged in
of themselves
or were provoked to by their enemies; which was their own
choice
and according to their own will and pleasure; and their conduct towards
their enemies in it was different from that in a war with the seven nations
commanded by the Lord
and distinguished from it
Deuteronomy 20:15.
then proclaim peace unto it; that is
offer them
terms of peace; which were
that the inhabitants of it should renounce
idolatry
and become their tributaries and servants.
Deuteronomy 20:11 11 And it shall be that if they accept your offer of
peace
and open to you
then all the people who are found in it shall be
placed under tribute to you
and serve you.
YLT
11and it hath been
if Peace
it answer thee
and hath opened to thee
then it hath come to pass -- all the
people who are found in it are to thee for tributaries
and have served thee.
And it shall be
if it make thee answer of peace
.... Comply
with the terms of peace offered:
and open unto thee; the gates of the city and its garrisons
and deliver all into their hands:
then it shall be that all the people that is found therein; some having
made their escape before the surrender of the city:
shall be tributaries unto thee: pay a yearly tax imposed
upon them
as the Moabites sometimes did
and which was paid in lambs and rams
with the wool
2 Kings 3:4
and they shall serve thee; not as slaves
or be in
continual bondage and servitude; but upon occasion be called out to any public
service
as joining them against their enemies
rebuilding palaces and cities
or repairing walls of cities
and the like; and in general acknowledge their
dominion over them
and their own subjection to them
by paying an annual
tribute
or sending gifts unto them; thus the Moabites
Syrians
and Edomites
became the servants of David
2 Samuel 8:2.
Deuteronomy 20:12 12 Now if the city will not make peace with you
but makes war against you
then you shall besiege it.
YLT
12`And if it doth not make
peace with thee
and hath made with thee war
then thou hast laid siege against
it
And if it will make no peace with thee
.... Will not
accept of terms of peace offered:
but will make war against thee; come out and fight
or
prepare to defend themselves: then thou shall besiege it; surround and block it
up on all sides with their forces; the Jews say only on three sides
leaving
one for any to flee and make their escape if they thought fit; See Gill on Numbers 31:7.
Deuteronomy 20:13 13 And when the Lord your God
delivers it into your hands
you shall strike every male in it with the edge of
the sword.
YLT
13and Jehovah thy God hath
given it into thy hand
and thou hast smitten every male of it by the mouth of
the sword.
And when the Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine hands
.... When
what with pressures without
and calamities within
the city is obliged to
surrender: this is not to be imputed to the methods and arts of war used in
besieging
or to the courage and skill of the besiegers; but to the power and
providence of God succeeding means used
and sending famine or pestilence among
the besieged
and inclining their hearts to deliver up their city:
thou shall smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword; the men in
it
grown persons
as distinguished from little ones in the next verse; because
it was owing to these it was not surrendered at once
when terms of peace were
offered.
Deuteronomy 20:14 14 But the women
the little ones
the livestock
and all
that is in the city
all its spoil
you shall plunder for yourself; and you
shall eat the enemies’ plunder which the Lord your God
gives you.
YLT
14Only
the women
and the
infants
and the cattle
and all that is in the city
all its spoil
thou dost
seize for thyself
and thou hast eaten the spoil of thine enemies which Jehovah
thy God hath given to thee.
But the women
the little ones
and the cattle
.... These
were to be spared; women
because of the weakness of their sex
and subjection
to their husbands; and little ones
which take in males as well as females
as
Jarchi observes
because of their tender age; and cattle because of their
insensibility; all these having had no concern in holding out the siege:
and all that is in the city
even all the spoil thereof
shall
thou take unto thyself; gold
silver
merchandise
household goods
utensils in trade
and whatever was of any worth and value to be found in their houses:
and thou shall eat the spoil of thine enemies
which the Lord thy
God hath given thee; that is
enjoy all their wealth and riches
estates and
possessions; for this is not to be restrained to things eatable only.
Deuteronomy 20:15 15 Thus you shall do to all the cities which are
very far from you
which are not of the cities of these nations.
YLT
15So thou dost do to all the
cities which are very far off from thee
which are not of the cities of these
nations.
Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from
thee
.... As all such were reckoned that were without the land of
Israel
even all in their neighbouring nations
the Moabites
Edomites
Ammonites
Syrians
&c. for the children of Israel never went to war with
any very distant nations
unless they came unto them and invaded them; nor did
they seek to carry their conquests to any great distance
when the most
powerful and victorious
as in the days of David and Solomon:
which are not of the cities of these nations; of these
seven nations
as the Targum of Jonathan
the seven nations of the land of
Canaan; all that were not of them were accounted foreign cities
and at a
distance.
Deuteronomy 20:16 16 “But of the cities of these peoples which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance
you shall let nothing
that breathes remain alive
YLT
16`Only
of the cities of
these peoples which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee [for] an inheritance
thou dost not keep alive any breathing;
But of the cities of those people
which the Lord thy God doth
give thee for an inheritance
.... The cities of the seven nations
six of
which are mentioned by name in the next verse:
thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth; the reason of
this severity was because of their wickedness
the capital crimes and gross
abominations they were guilty of
and for which they deserved to die; and on
account whereof they were reserved to this destruction
when the measure of
their iniquities was full
such as idolatry
incest
witchcraft
soothsaying
necromancy
&c. see Leviticus 18:3.
Deuteronomy 20:17 17 but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite and
the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the
Jebusite
just as the Lord your God has commanded you
YLT
17for thou dost certainly
devote the Hittite
and the Amorite
the Canaanite
and the Perizzite
the
Hivite
and the Jebusite
as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee
But thou shalt utterly destroy them
.... Men
women
and
children: some think this is to be understood only of such cities which did not
accept of terms of peace; for they are of opinion that Joshua made proclamation
of peace to all the cities of Canaan; which being not complied with
he
destroyed them as they fell into his hands; and they suppose that the
Gibeonites had not heard of such a proclamation
and therefore were spared; and
it is certain that there were many who were suffered to live among them
who it
may be thought were allowed on their becoming proselytes
which was one of the
terms of peace
as Rahab and her household did
and which is the sense of some
of the Jewish writers. Jarchi on the following verse observes
that if they
repented
and became proselytes
they might be received: namely:
the Hittites and the Amorites
the Canaanites and the Perizzites
the Hivites and the Jebusites; one of the seven nations is here omitted
the Girgashites
as they are also in Exodus 23:23. It is
saidF2T. Hieros. Shebiith
fol. 37. 3. Debarim Rabba
sect. 5. fol.
241. 2. Vid. Maimon. Hilchot Melachim
c. 6. sect. 5. & Migdol Oz in ib.
that"Joshua sent three letters into the land of Israel before they went
into it; in the first
whoever would turn (and flee) might; in the second
whoever would make peace might; in the third
whoever would make war might: the
Girgashites
believing God
went to Africa
according to Isaiah 36:17
the
land there is Africa; the Gibeonites made peace and dwelt in the land; thirty
one kings made war
and fell:"
as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; Deuteronomy 7:1.
Deuteronomy 20:18 18 lest they teach you to do according to all their
abominations which they have done for their gods
and you sin against the Lord your God.
YLT
18so that they teach you not
to do according to all their abominations which they have done to their gods
and ye have sinned against Jehovah your God.
That they teach you not to do after all their abominations
.... This is
another reason why they were to be utterly destroyed
not only because of the
abominations which they committed
but to prevent the Israelites being taught
by them to do the same; wherefore
as before observed from Jarchi
such as
became proselytes were suffered to live among them
because there was no danger
of idolatry from them
which even proselytes of the gate renounced; and though
all other abominations are included
yet this is particularly respected
as
appears from the following clause:
which they have done unto their gods; to the honour
of whom not only many superstitious rites and ceremonies were performed
and
idolatrous actions committed
but acts of lewdness
and even unnatural
uncleanness:
so should ye sin against the Lord your God; a sin the
most provoking to him
as the sin of idolatry was; and cause his anger to rise
to such a degree
as to suffer them to be carried captive from the land he gave
them to inherit; and which afterwards
was the case
and that through learning
the manners and customs of these people; see Psalm 106:34.
Deuteronomy 20:19 19 “When you besiege a city for a long time
while making
war against it to take it
you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax
against them; if you can eat of them
do not cut them down to use in the siege
for the tree of the field is man’s food.
YLT
19`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.
When thou shalt besiege a city a long time
in making war against
it to take it
.... Before it will surrender; it holding out the siege a
considerable time: the Hebrew text says
"many days"F3ימים רבים "diebus
multis"
Pagninus
Montanus
Tigurine version
&c. ; which the Targum
of Jonathan interprets of all the seven days
to make war against it
in order
to subdue it on the sabbath day. Jarchi observes
that "days" signify
two
and "many" three; hence it is said
they do not besiege cities
of the Gentiles less than three days before the sabbath; and he also says it
teaches that peace is opened or proclaimed two or three days first:
thou shall not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against
them; that is
not cut them down with an axe
such trees as were
without the city
and in the power of the besiegers: what sort of trees are
meant appears by what follows:
for thou mayest eat of them; the fruit of them
which
shows them to be fruit trees
and gives a reason for not cutting them down
since they would be useful in supplying them with what was agreeable to eat:
and thou shalt not cut them down to employ them in the siege; in building
bulwarks and batteries
and making of machines to cast out stones
and the
like
to the annoyance of the besieged; which might as well or better be made
of other trees
as in the next verse:
for the tree of the field is man's life; by the fruit
of which
among other things
his life is supported and maintained: but some
give a different version and sense of this clause
for the tree of the field is
manF4כי האדם עץ השדה "quia homo lignum
agri"
Montanus; "quoniam homo est arbor agri"
Drusius.
or is
man's; it is his property; but this is not a sufficient reason why it should
not be cut down
whether the property of the besieger
in whose hand it is
or
of the besieged
to whom it belonged: or
"for
is the tree of the field a
man"F5"An putas lignum agri esse hominem?" Munster;
"num enim homo est arbor?" Fagius. ? that has given any reason of
being thus used? no; it is no cause of the war
nor of the holding out of the
siege; and had it a voice
as JosephusF6Antiqu. l. 4. c. 8. sect.
42. observes
it would complain of injury done it
and apologize for itself.
Some supply the negative
"for the tree of the field is not a man";
so the Targum of Onkelos
as well as makes it a comparative form of
speech;"for not as a man is the tree of the field
to come out against
thee in a siege;'the Targum of Jonathan is
"for
not as a man is the tree of the field
to be hid from you in a siege;'or
as
some in Aben Ezra express it
"it is not as a man
that it should flee from
before thee;'it can neither annoy thee
nor get out of thy way; and therefore
to lift up an axe against it
to cut it down
as if it was a man
and an enemy
that stood in the way
is ridiculous and weak; though the sense of the said
writer himself is the same with that of our version; but what seems best is to
read the words
"for
O man
of the trees of the field" (there is
enough of them) to bring "before thee for a bulwark"F7Vid.
Reinbeck de Accent. Heb. p. 326. ; to make use of
without cutting down fruit
trees: though some understand it metaphorically
that as the tree of the field
is
so is man
or should be
bring forth fruit
that he may not be cut down;
see Matthew 3:10.
PlutarchF8De lside
p. 365. relates
that it was forbidden the
worshippers of Osiris to destroy garden trees.
Deuteronomy 20:20 20 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.
YLT
20Only
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.
Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat
....
Which might be known not only by their not having fruit upon them
but by other
tokens
and even at a time of year when there was no fruit on any
which might
be sometimes the season of a siege:
thou shalt destroy and cut them down; if so to do
was of any disservice to the enemy
or of any service to them
as follows; they
had a liberty to destroy them if they would:
and thou shall build bulwarks against the city that maketh war
until it be subdued; build bulwarks of the trees cut down
and raise batteries with
them
or make machines and engines of the wood of them
to cast stones into the
city to annoy the inhabitants of it
in order to make them surrender
and until
they do it. All this may be an emblem of the axe being to be laid to fruitless
trees in a moral and spiritual sense; and of trees of righteousness
laden with
the fruits of righteousness
the planting of the Lord
being preserved and
never to be cut down or rooted up; see Matthew 3:10.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)