Deuteronomy 20:16

But of the cities of these people, which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, shalt thou not let live a single soul.

Leeser Tanakh

In The King James Version

But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:

In Context

15Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.

17But thou shalt utterly devote them; namely, the Hittites, and the Emorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee;

Read all of Deuteronomy 20

Cross References

Numbers 21:2And Israel made a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou wilt but deliver this people into my hand, then will I devote their cities.

Numbers 33:52Then shall ye drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and ye shall destroy all their statues, and all their molten images shall ye destroy, and devastate all their high places.

Deuteronomy 7:1When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Emorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations, greater in number and mightier than thou;

Deuteronomy 7:16And thou shalt consume all the nations which the Lord thy God giveth unto thee; thy eye shall not look with pity upon them: and thou shalt not serve their gods; for that would be a snare unto thee.

Deuteronomy 31:5And the Lord will give them up before you; and ye shall do unto them according unto the whole of the commandment which I have commanded you.

Joshua 9:7And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell in the midst of us; and how can we make a covenant with you:

Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 20:11-20

Proclamations of War; Directions Concerning War. ( b. c. 1451.) 10 When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. 11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee. 12 And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it: 13 And when the Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou… Read the whole commentary →

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