רַ֞ק עֵ֣ץ אֲשֶׁר־תֵּדַ֗ע כִּֽי־לֹא־עֵ֤ץ מַאֲכָל֙ ה֔וּא אֹת֥וֹ תַשְׁחִ֖ית וְכָרָ֑תָּ וּבָנִ֣יתָ מָצ֗וֹר עַל־הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁר־הִ֨וא עֹשָׂ֧ה עִמְּךָ֛ מִלְחָמָ֖ה עַ֥ד רִדְתָּֽהּ׃ (פ)
惟獨你知道不是結果子可吃的樹木，才可以毀壞砍伐，用來建造攻城的工事，攻打那與你交戰的城，直到把它攻下。
Rashi
עד רדתה [AND THOU SHALT BUILD BULWARKS AGAINST THE CITY …] UNTIL רדתה — This (the word רדתה) means “subduing”, [and the meaning is, thou shalt besiege it until] it becomes submissive.
Ibn Ezra
until it is brought low for if it were not a great city, Scripture would not have said “a long time” [: 19].
Rashbam
'רק עץ אשר תדע וגו, a tree which never bore fruit, whether close to the city under siege or distant from it, you may cut down to help you construct the ramparts from which to launch missiles; but a fruit bearing tree that is far enough removed from the city not to afford shelter to your enemy you must not cut down.