Deuteronomy 20:6

6 Has anyone planted a vineyard but not yet enjoyed its fruit? He should go back to his house, or he might die in the battle and another be first to enjoy its fruit.

Deuteronomy 20:6 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 20:6

And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not
yet eaten of it?
&c.] 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" F11; according to the law in ( Leviticus 19:23-25 ) . 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.


FOOTNOTES:

F11 (wllx al) "necdum fecit eam esse communem", V. L. "et non fecit eam communem", Vatablus, Fagius.

Deuteronomy 20:6 In-Context

4 for it is the Lord your God who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to give you victory."
5 Then the officials shall address the troops, saying, "Has anyone built a new house but not dedicated it? He should go back to his house, or he might die in the battle and another dedicate it.
6 Has anyone planted a vineyard but not yet enjoyed its fruit? He should go back to his house, or he might die in the battle and another be first to enjoy its fruit.
7 Has anyone become engaged to a woman but not yet married her? He should go back to his house, or he might die in the battle and another marry her."
8 The officials shall continue to address the troops, saying, "Is anyone afraid or disheartened? He should go back to his house, or he might cause the heart of his comrades to melt like his own."
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.