RobH_en_tn/deu/20/19.md

General Information:

Moses continues speaking to the people of Israel.

wage war

"fight in a war"

by wielding an ax against them

"by cutting down the trees with an ax"

For is the tree of the field a man whom you should besiege?

This rhetorical question is to remind the people of what they should already know. This question can be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: "For fruit trees are not people, so they are not your enemy." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion)