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

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

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

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

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

14 But 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.

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

16 However, 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.

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

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

Original words

When כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction you approach תִקְרַ֣ב H7126 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition a city עִ֔יר H5892 Noun - feminine singular to fight לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם H3898 Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct against it עָלֶ֑יהָ H5921 Preposition | third person feminine singular you are to make an offer וְקָרָ֥אתָ H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular . . . אֵלֶ֖יהָ H413 Preposition | third person feminine singular of peace לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ H7965 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 11

Cross-references

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

Original words

וְהָיָה֙ וְהָיָה֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular If אִם־ H518 Conjunction they accept תַּֽעַנְךָ֔ H6030 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | second person masculine singular your offer of peace שָׁל֣וֹם H7965 Noun - masculine singular and open [their gates] וּפָתְחָ֖ה H6605 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular - וְהָיָ֞ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the people הָעָ֣ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular [there] הַנִּמְצָא־ H4672 Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular will become יִהְי֥וּ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural forced laborers לָמַ֖ס H4522 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular to serve וַעֲבָדֽוּךָ׃ H5647 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural | second person masculine singular you לְךָ֛ Preposition | second person masculine singular

Verse 12

Original words

But if וְאִם־ H518 Conjunction they refuse לֹ֤א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle to make peace תַשְׁלִים֙ H7999 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular with you עִמָּ֔ךְ H5973 Preposition | second person masculine singular and wage וְעָשְׂתָ֥ה H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular war מִלְחָמָ֑ה H4421 Noun - feminine singular against you עִמְּךָ֖ H5973 Preposition | second person masculine singular lay siege וְצַרְתָּ֖ H6696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular to [that city] עָלֶֽיהָּ׃ H5921 Preposition | third person feminine singular

Verse 13

Cross-references

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

Original words

When the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular has delivered it וּנְתָנָ֛הּ H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular into your hand בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular you must put וְהִכִּיתָ֥ H5221 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker every כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct male זְכוּרָ֖הּ H2138 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular vvv לְפִי־ H6310 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct to the sword חָֽרֶב׃ H2719 Noun - feminine singular

Verse 14

Cross-references

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

Original words

But רַ֣ק H7535 Adverb the women הַ֠נָּשִׁים H802 Article | Noun - feminine plural children וְהַטַּ֨ף H2945 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular livestock וְהַבְּהֵמָ֜ה H929 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular and whatever וְכֹל֩ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative else is יִהְיֶ֥ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in the city בָעִ֛יר H5892 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct its spoil שְׁלָלָ֖הּ H7998 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular you may take as plunder תָּבֹ֣ז H962 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular and you shall use וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙ H398 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the spoil שְׁלַ֣ל H7998 Noun - masculine singular construct of your enemies אֹיְבֶ֔יךָ H341 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular that אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular gives נָתַ֛ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular you לָֽךְ׃ Preposition | second person masculine singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

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

Original words

This is how כֵּ֤ן H3651 Adverb you are to treat תַּעֲשֶׂה֙ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular all לְכָל־ H3605 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct the cities הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים H5892 Article | Noun - feminine plural that are far away הָרְחֹקֹ֥ת H7350 Article | Adjective - feminine plural from you מִמְּךָ֖ H4480 Preposition | second person masculine singular . . . מְאֹ֑ד H3966 Adverb - אֲשֶׁ֛ר H834 Pronoun - relative and do not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle - מֵעָרֵ֥י H5892 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct belong to the הָאֵ֖לֶּה H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural . . . הֵֽנָּה׃ H2007 Pronoun - third person feminine plural nations nearby הַגּֽוֹיִם־ H1471 Article | Noun - masculine plural

Verse 16

Cross-references

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

Original words

However רַ֗ק H7535 Adverb in the cities מֵעָרֵ֤י H5892 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct of the הָאֵ֔לֶּה H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural nations הָֽעַמִּים֙ H5971 Article | Noun - masculine plural that אֲשֶׁר֙ H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular is giving נֹתֵ֥ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular you לְךָ֖ Preposition | second person masculine singular as an inheritance נַחֲלָ֑ה H5159 Noun - feminine singular vvv לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle you must not leave alive תְחַיֶּ֖ה H2421 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular anything כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct that breathes נְשָׁמָֽה׃ H5397 Noun - feminine singular

Verse 17

Cross-references

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

Original words

For כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction you must devote them to complete destruction הַחֲרֵ֣ם H2763 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute . . . תַּחֲרִימֵ֗ם H2763 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural the Hittites הַחִתִּ֤י H2850 Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular Amorites וְהָאֱמֹרִי֙ H567 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular Canaanites הַכְּנַעֲנִ֣י H3669 Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular Perizzites וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י H6522 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular Hivites הַחִוִּ֖י H2340 Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular and Jebusites וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י H2983 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular as כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular has commanded you צִוְּךָ֖ H6680 Verb - 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 12:30 Classic cross-references Exodus 23:33 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 12:4 Classic cross-references Ephesians 5:11 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 15:33 Classic cross-references

Original words

so that לְמַ֗עַן H4616 Conjunction - אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative they cannot לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle teach יְלַמְּד֤וּ H3925 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural - אֶתְכֶם֙ H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural you to do לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct all כְּכֹל֙ H3605 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct the detestable things תּֽוֹעֲבֹתָ֔ם H8441 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative they do עָשׂ֖וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural for their gods לֵֽאלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם H430 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural and so cause you to sin וַחֲטָאתֶ֖ם H2398 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural against the LORD לַיהוָ֥ה H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ס H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural

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