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KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Deuteronomy 20:19–20

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
¶ 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:
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.
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PASSAGE SELECTION

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Choose up to 10 verses in this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

10 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 19

  1. Matthew 3:10Rank 1 from verse 19
    Open

    10And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

  2. Matthew 21:19Rank 2 from verse 19
    Open

    19And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

  3. Deuteronomy 26:6Rank 3 from verse 19
    Open

    6And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:

  4. John 15:2–8Rank 4 from verse 19
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    2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

    3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

    4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

    5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

    6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

    7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

    8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

  5. Luke 13:7–9Rank 5 from verse 19
    Open

    7Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

    8And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

    9And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

From verse 20

  1. Isaiah 37:33Rank 1 from verse 20
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    33Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it.

  2. 2 Chronicles 26:15Rank 2 from verse 20
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    15And 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.

  3. Deuteronomy 1:28Rank 3 from verse 20
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    28Whither 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.

  4. Ecclesiastes 9:14Rank 4 from verse 20
    Open

    14There 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:

  5. Ezekiel 17:17Rank 5 from verse 20
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    17Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Deuteronomy 20:19

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

besiege

↗

To surround a city, place, or people with hostile forces, cutting off escape or relief in order to take or subdue them.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

long

↗

Sense 1: Extending a great distance or duration. Sense 2: To desire earnestly.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

time

↗

A particular portion or part of duration, whether past, present or future.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

war

↗

Sense 1: Armed conflict. Sense 2: As a verb, to fight or contend.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

against

↗

Opposed to, contrary to, facing, toward, or in contact with; in some settings, exposed to or ready for a stated time.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893

COMBINED MEANING

take

↗

To receive, seize, carry, accept, choose, or lay hold of.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893

COMBINED MEANING

destroy

↗

Sense 1: To ruin, demolish, consume, or lay waste. Sense 2: To kill or cut off. Sense 3: To cause a thing's structure, use, activity, or present condition to cease.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

forcing

↗

Present-participial or verbal-noun form of force, meaning to compel, drive, constrain, press, or carry out by force.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

eat

↗

To take food into the body; to consume, devour, or waste away.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

cut

↗

Sense 1: To divide, sever, remove, or wound with a sharp instrument. Sense 2: Figuratively, to grieve deeply or bring to an end.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

man

↗

1. A human being or person. 2. Mankind collectively. 3. A male person.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

siege

↗

The surrounding and investing of a city or fortified place by an army to attack it, cut it off, and compel its surrender.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

DEFINED WORDS

Deuteronomy 20:20

COMBINED MEANING

which

↗

1. An interrogative or relative pronoun identifying one or more persons or things from a stated or implied set. 2. That which; what.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

meat

↗

Sense 1: Food, nourishment, sustenance, or provision. Sense 2: Figuratively, that which nourishes or sustains.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

destroy

↗

Sense 1: To ruin, demolish, consume, or lay waste. Sense 2: To kill or cut off. Sense 3: To cause a thing's structure, use, activity, or present condition to cease.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

cut

↗

Sense 1: To divide, sever, remove, or wound with a sharp instrument. Sense 2: Figuratively, to grieve deeply or bring to an end.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

against

↗

Opposed to, contrary to, facing, toward, or in contact with; in some settings, exposed to or ready for a stated time.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893

COMBINED MEANING

maketh

↗

Third-person singular present form of make (to form, create, produce, cause, appoint, perform, or render into a stated condition).

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

war

↗

Sense 1: Armed conflict. Sense 2: As a verb, to fight or contend.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

subdued

↗

Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of subdue, meaning to conquer, overcome, bring under control, or make subject.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

bulwark

↗

1. A defensive wall or fortified work. 2. A siegework raised against a city.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

READ BEFORE AND AFTER

Surrounding Verses

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18That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the Lord your God.

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:

Selected passage

20Only 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.

Selected passage

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