Deuteronomy 20:6

Deu 20:6 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.

Ver. 7. That hath betrothed a wife.] A commendable custom, even among heathens also: Placuit, despondi; nuptiis hic dictus est dies, said he in Terence.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Hebrew word signifieth to make common or profane, Lev. 19:25.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

6. not used the fruit thereof] As in Deu_28:30 EVV. paraphrase the Heb. ḥalal, a ritual term for bringing into common use. In the 5th year after planting the vine, one might use the fruits which in the 4th were reserved for the Deity, and for the three previous years were left alone. See Lev_19:23 ff.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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, Co1 9:7 or "hath not made it common" (k); according to the law in Lev 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.

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

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

See the margin and references. The fruit of newly-planted trees was set apart from common uses for four years.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Common. Hebrew, "hath not profaned it." (Menochius) --- During the three first years, the fruit was not eaten. In the fourth it was sacred to the Lord, and given to the priests, so that the owner could not partake of the fruit till the fifth year, when it ceased to be in a manner sacred. Jonathan translates, "and has not redeemed it," by paying the first-fruits of the fifth year. Septuagint, "has not rejoiced in it," by feasting, as was probably the custom at the first vintage. Other fruit-trees entitled the owner to the like privilege. (Schikard., Jus. reg. 5.) --- Whereof all may eat, is added by the Vulgate to explain what is meant by common. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

This and the former dispensation were generally convenient, but more necessary in the beginning of their settlement in Canaan, for the encouragement of those who should build houses or plant vineyards, which was chargeable to them, and beneficial to the commonwealth.

Eaten of it, Heb. made it common, to wit, for the use of himself and family and friends, which it was not till the fifth year, Lev 19:23; Jer 31:5.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

6. Planted a vineyard — The word כרם is not to be restricted to vineyards. The same term is applied to olive groves.

Hath not yet eaten of it — The Hebrew term חלל, to make common, is here used in the sense of to apply to common use. The fruit of the vine, or of fruit trees in general, was not to be gathered for use for the first three years. In the fourth year the fruit was to be consecrated to Jehovah. It was not till the fifth year that the fruit could be gathered for common use.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A vineyard - This and the former dispensation were generally convenient, but more necessary in the beginning of their settlement in Canaan, for the encouragement of those who should build houses or plant vineyards, which was chargeable to them, and beneficial to the common-wealth. Eaten of it - Hebrew. made it common, namely, for the use of himself and family and friends, which it was not, 'till the fifth year.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Moses continues describing situations that allow a man to leave the military.

Is there anyone who has planted ... Let him go home

"If any soldier here has a new vineyard, but has not yet harvested its grapes, he should go back to his house"

so he will not die in battle and another man enjoy its fruit

The officer is describing a situation that could possibly happen to a soldier. AT: "so that, if he dies in battle, another man will not harvest its fruit instead of him" (See: Hypothetical Situations)

What man is there who is engaged to marry a woman ... Let him go home

"If any soldier here has promised to marry a woman, but has not yet married her, he should go back to his house"

so that he does not die in battle and another man marries her

The officer is describing a situation that could possibly happen to a soldier. AT: "so that, if he dies in battle, another man does not marry her instead of him" (See: Hypothetical Situations)

translationWords

vineyard

fruit

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

ולא חללו [AND WHAT MAN IS THERE THAT HATH PLANTED A VINEYARD] AND HATH YET NOT EATEN OF IT — לא חללו means, has not yet redeemed it in the fourth year of its growth, for the fruits had either to be eaten in Jerusalem or to be given a non-holy character (חולין), by exchanging them for money and the money’s worth to be consumed in Jerusalem (The phrase therefore means no more than: who hath not eaten of it).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

V’LO CHIL’LO’ — the fourth year [since the vineyard was planted] had not yet arrived. For the custom regarding a vineyard used to be that when the produce was ripe they would dance there and walk in it with chalilim (flutes). Now, Scripture commanded that all the fruits thereof [of the fourth year] shall be holy, for giving praise unto the Eternal, that they should praise the Glorious Name at that celebration. It is possible that the meaning of v’lo chil’lo is “that he has not made it chulin (secular),” this referring to the “redemption” [i.e., exchanging the fruits for money in case he cannot transport them to Jerusalem] which our Rabbis have mentioned, it being similar to the expressions: for Judah ‘chileil’ (hath profaned) the holiness of the Eternal [which means Israel has exchanged Him for other gods]; and he shall not ‘yechaleil’ (profane) his seed [which also means that he shall not exchange his holy seed by taking a woman forbidden to him].

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.