Deuteronomy 20:6

Has any man planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy its fruit? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man enjoy its fruit.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses directs Israel’s military officers to address the troops before engagement. The regulation functions as a wartime exemption list issued on the plains of Moab.

The words — נָטַע (naṭaʿ) denotes “he has planted,” and חִלֵּל (ḥillel) carries the sense of “he has put to common use” or “profaned.” The phrasing frames the unconsumed fruit as a labor product that should not be forfeited to another.

The thread — The vineyard exemption stands alongside the house dedication in Deuteronomy 20:5 and the betrothal release in Deuteronomy 20:7. Isaiah 65:22 later reiterates the pattern of planting and building for personal rather than foreign use.

Why it lands — The text orders commanders to discharge vineyard cultivators so they do not die in combat before harvesting their crop. The passage requires military leadership to weigh conscription against the tangible loss of agricultural investment and troop morale.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וּמִֽי־u./mi-and/ who?הָאִ֞ישׁha./'Ish[is] the/ man אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-who נָטַ֥עna.Ta'he has planted כֶּ֙רֶם֙ke.rema vineyard וְלֹ֣אve./Lo'and/ not חִלְּל֔וֹchi.le.L/ohe has put to use/ it יֵלֵ֖ךְye.Lekhlet him go וְיָשֹׁ֣בve./ya.Shoand/ let him return לְבֵית֑וֹle./vei.T/oto/ house/ his פֶּן־pen-lest יָמוּת֙ya.Muthe should die בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔הba./mil.cha.Mahin the/ battle וְאִ֥ישׁve./'Ishand/ a man אַחֵ֖ר'a.Cheranother יְחַלְּלֶֽנּוּ׃ye.chal.le.Le./nuhe will put to use/ it

King James Version

And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.

Cross-references

Leviticus 19:23 When you enter the land and plant any kind of tree for food, you shall regard the fruit as forbidden. For three years it will be forbidden to you and must not be eaten.
Deuteronomy 28:1 “Now if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God and are careful to follow all His commandments I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.
Isaiah 65:22 No longer will they build houses for others to inhabit, nor plant for others to eat. For as is the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, and My chosen ones will fully enjoy the work of their hands.
Jeremiah 31:5 Again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria; the farmers will plant and enjoy the fruit.
Zephaniah 1:13 Their wealth will be plundered and their houses laid waste. They will build houses but not inhabit them, and plant vineyards but never drink their wine.