Deuteronomy 20:18

18 Otherwise, they will teach you to do all the disgusting things they do for their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 20:18 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 20:18

That they teach you not to do after all their abominations,
&c.] This is another reason why they were to be utterly destroyed, not only because of the abominations which they committed, but to prevent the Israelites being taught by them to do the same; wherefore, as before observed from Jarchi, such as became proselytes were suffered to live among them, because there was no danger of idolatry from them, which even proselytes of the gate renounced; and though all other abominations are included, yet this is particularly respected, as appears from the following clause:

which they have done unto their gods;
to the honour of whom not only many superstitious rites and ceremonies were performed, and idolatrous actions committed, but acts of lewdness, and even unnatural uncleanness:

so should ye sin against the Lord your God;
a sin the most provoking to him, as the sin of idolatry was; and cause his anger to rise to such a degree, as to suffer them to be carried captive from the land he gave them to inherit; and which afterwards, was the case, and that through learning the manners and customs of these people; see ( Psalms 106:34-42 ) .

Deuteronomy 20:18 In-Context

16 However, you must not spare anyone's life in the cities of these nations that the LORD your God is giving you as your property.
17 You must claim the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites for the LORD and completely destroy them, as the LORD your God has commanded you.
18 Otherwise, they will teach you to do all the disgusting things they do for their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God.
19 This is what you must do whenever you blockade a city for a long time in order to capture it in war. Don't harm any of its fruit trees with an ax. You can eat the fruit. Never cut those trees down, because the trees of the field are not people you have come to blockade.
20 You may destroy trees that you know are not fruit trees. You may cut them down and use them in your blockade until you capture the city.
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