SEV Biblia, Chapter 20:20
Mas el árbol que supieres que no es árbol para comer, lo destruirás y lo talarás, y edificarás baluarte contra la ciudad que pelea contigo, hasta sojuzgarla.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 20. Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, etc.] 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 Isaiah 60:3 Matthew 15:13).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-12 - The Israelites are here directed about the nations on whom they mad war. Let this show God's grace in dealing with sinners. He proclaim peace, and beseeches them to be reconciled. Let it also show us ou duty in dealing with our brethren. Whoever are for war, we must be for peace. Of the cities given to Israel, none of their inhabitants must be left. Since it could not be expected that they should be cured of their idolatry, they would hurt Israel. These regulations are not the rule of our conduct, but Christ's law of love. The horrors of war must fil the feeling heart with anguish upon every recollection; and are proof of the wickedness of man, the power of Satan, and the just vengeance of God, who thus scourges a guilty world. But how dreadful their case wh are engaged in unequal conflict with their Maker, who will not submi to render him the easy tribute of worship and praise! Certain rui awaits them. Let neither the number nor the power of the enemies of ou souls dismay us; nor let even our own weakness cause us to tremble of to faint. The Lord will save us; but in this war let none engage whose hearts are fond of the world, or afraid of the cross and the conflict Care is here taken that in besieging cities the fruit-trees should no be destroyed. God is a better friend to man than he is to himself; an God's law consults our interests and comforts; while our own appetite and passions, which we indulge, are enemies to our welfare. Many of the Divine precepts restrain us from destroying that which is for our lif and food. The Jews understand this as forbidding all wilful waste upo any account whatsoever. Every creature of God is good; as nothing is to be refused, so nothing is to be abused. We may live to want what we carelessly waste __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
רק 7535 עץ 6086 אשׁר 834 תדע 3045 כי 3588 לא 3808 עץ 6086 מאכל 3978 הוא 1931 אתו 853 תשׁחית 7843 וכרת 3772 ובנית 1129 מצור 4692 על 5921 העיר 5892 אשׁר 834 הוא 1931 עשׂה 6213 עמך 5973 מלחמה 4421 עד 5704 רדתה׃ 3381
