Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 20:10-18

Holy War, Covenant Trust, and the Limits of Violence

Fear displaced by divine presence (vv. 1–4) → community exemptions that purify covenant confidence (vv. 5–9) → regulated war protocol for distant nations (vv. 10–15) → total devotion war against Canaanite peoples (vv. 16–18) → ecological restraint in siege (vv. 19–20)

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

10When you approach a city to fight against it, you are to make an offer of peace.

11If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates, all the people there will become forced laborers to serve you.

12But if they refuse to make peace with you and wage war against you, lay siege to that city.

13When the LORD your God has delivered it into your hand, you must put every male to the sword.

14But the women, children, livestock, and whatever else is in the city—all its spoil—you may take as plunder, and you shall use the spoil of your enemies that the LORD your God gives you.

15This is how you are to treat all the cities that are far away from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.

16However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes.

17For you must devote them to complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you,

18so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 10

Cross-references

Judges 21:13Classic cross-references Joshua 9:15Classic cross-references Luke 10:5Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 5:18Classic cross-references Ephesians 2:17Classic cross-references

Original words

Whenכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionyou approachתִקְרַ֣בH7126Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413Prepositiona cityעִ֔ירH5892Noun - feminine singularto fightלְהִלָּחֵ֖םH3898Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive constructagainst itעָלֶ֑יהָH5921Preposition | third person feminine singularyou are to make an offerוְקָרָ֥אתָH7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular. . .אֵלֶ֖יהָH413Preposition | third person feminine singularof peaceלְשָׁלֽוֹם׃H7965Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 11

Cross-references

Joshua 9:8Classic cross-references 2 Kings 6:22Classic cross-references

Original words

וְהָיָה֙וְהָיָה֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularIfאִם־H518Conjunctionthey acceptתַּֽעַנְךָ֔H6030Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | second person masculine singularyour offer of peaceשָׁל֣וֹםH7965Noun - masculine singularand open [their gates]וּפָתְחָ֖הH6605Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular-וְהָיָ֞הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe peopleהָעָ֣םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singular[there]הַנִּמְצָא־H4672Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularwill becomeיִהְי֥וּH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralforced laborersלָמַ֖סH4522Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularto serveוַעֲבָדֽוּךָ׃H5647Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural | second person masculine singularyouלְךָ֛Preposition | second person masculine singular

Verse 12

Original words

But ifוְאִם־H518Conjunctionthey refuseלֹ֤אH3808Adverb - Negative particleto make peaceתַשְׁלִים֙H7999Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singularwith youעִמָּ֔ךְH5973Preposition | second person masculine singularand wageוְעָשְׂתָ֥הH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularwarמִלְחָמָ֑הH4421Noun - feminine singularagainst youעִמְּךָ֖H5973Preposition | second person masculine singularlay siegeוְצַרְתָּ֖H6696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularto [that city]עָלֶֽיהָּ׃H5921Preposition | third person feminine singular

Verse 13

Cross-references

1 Kings 11:15Classic cross-references Psalms 2:6Classic cross-references

Original words

When the LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularhas delivered itוּנְתָנָ֛הּH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singularinto your handבְּיָדֶ֑ךָH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularyou must putוְהִכִּיתָ֥H5221Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markereveryכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructmaleזְכוּרָ֖הּH2138Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularvvvלְפִי־H6310Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructto the swordחָֽרֶב׃H2719Noun - feminine singular

Verse 14

Cross-references

Joshua 8:2Classic cross-references Numbers 31:11Classic cross-references Numbers 31:53Classic cross-references Joshua 22:8Classic cross-references Numbers 31:18Classic cross-references

Original words

Butרַ֣קH7535Adverbthe womenהַ֠נָּשִׁיםH802Article | Noun - feminine pluralchildrenוְהַטַּ֨ףH2945Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singularlivestockוְהַבְּהֵמָ֜הH929Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singularand whateverוְכֹל֩H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativeelse isיִהְיֶ֥הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularin the cityבָעִ֛ירH5892Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructits spoilשְׁלָלָ֖הּH7998Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularyou may take as plunderתָּבֹ֣זH962Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularand you shall useוְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙H398Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe spoilשְׁלַ֣לH7998Noun - masculine singular constructof your enemiesאֹיְבֶ֔יךָH341Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularthatאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singulargivesנָתַ֛ןH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularyouלָֽךְ׃Preposition | second person masculine singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

Joshua 9:9Classic cross-references Joshua 9:24Classic cross-references

Original words

This is howכֵּ֤ןH3651Adverbyou are to treatתַּעֲשֶׂה֙H6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularallלְכָל־H3605Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructthe citiesהֶ֣עָרִ֔יםH5892Article | Noun - feminine pluralthat are far awayהָרְחֹקֹ֥תH7350Article | Adjective - feminine pluralfrom youמִמְּךָ֖H4480Preposition | second person masculine singular. . .מְאֹ֑דH3966Adverb-אֲשֶׁ֛רH834Pronoun - relativeand do notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particle-מֵעָרֵ֥יH5892Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural constructbelong to theהָאֵ֖לֶּהH428Article | Pronoun - common plural. . .הֵֽנָּה׃H2007Pronoun - third person feminine pluralnations nearbyהַגּֽוֹיִם־H1471Article | Noun - masculine plural

Verse 16

Cross-references

Numbers 33:52Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 15:3Classic cross-references Joshua 11:14Classic cross-references Joshua 11:20Classic cross-references Joshua 11:12Classic cross-references

Original words

Howeverרַ֗קH7535Adverbin the citiesמֵעָרֵ֤יH5892Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural constructof theהָאֵ֔לֶּהH428Article | Pronoun - common pluralnationsהָֽעַמִּים֙H5971Article | Noun - masculine pluralthatאֲשֶׁר֙H834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֔יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularis givingנֹתֵ֥ןH5414Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularyouלְךָ֖Preposition | second person masculine singularas an inheritanceנַחֲלָ֑הH5159Noun - feminine singularvvvלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleyou must not leave aliveתְחַיֶּ֖הH2421Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singularanythingכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthat breathesנְשָׁמָֽה׃H5397Noun - feminine singular

Verse 17

Cross-references

Ezekiel 16:3Classic cross-references Joshua 6:17Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 7:1Classic cross-references Ezekiel 38:21Classic cross-references Isaiah 34:5Classic cross-references

Original words

Forכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionyou must devote them to complete destructionהַחֲרֵ֣םH2763Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute. . .תַּחֲרִימֵ֗םH2763Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralthe Hittitesהַחִתִּ֤יH2850Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularAmoritesוְהָאֱמֹרִי֙H567Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularCanaanitesהַכְּנַעֲנִ֣יH3669Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularPerizzitesוְהַפְּרִזִּ֔יH6522Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularHivitesהַחִוִּ֖יH2340Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularand Jebusitesוְהַיְבוּסִ֑יH2983Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularasכַּאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃H430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularhas commanded youצִוְּךָ֖H6680Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular

BSB notes

Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to the LORD, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering.

Verse 18

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 12:30Classic cross-references Exodus 23:33Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 12:4Classic cross-references Ephesians 5:11Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 15:33Classic cross-references

Original words

so thatלְמַ֗עַןH4616Conjunction-אֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativethey cannotלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleteachיְלַמְּד֤וּH3925Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶתְכֶם֙H853Direct object marker | second person masculine pluralyou to doלַעֲשׂ֔וֹתH6213Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructallכְּכֹל֙H3605Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular constructthe detestable thingsתּֽוֹעֲבֹתָ֔םH8441Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativethey doעָשׂ֖וּH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralfor their godsלֵֽאלֹהֵיהֶ֑םH430Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluraland so cause you to sinוַחֲטָאתֶ֖םH2398Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine pluralagainst the LORDלַיהוָ֥הH3068Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃סH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural

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