Deuteronomy 13:15

15 thou shalt utterly destroy all the dwellers in that land with the edge of the sword; ye shall solemnly curse it, and all things in it.

Deuteronomy 13:15 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 13:15

Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the
edge of the sword
This could not be the work of a single person, nor of the whole sanhedrim, but was what the whole nation was to join in, according to the above note:

destroying it utterly;
pulling down the houses, and demolishing its walls and fortifications, or burning it, as afterwards explained:

and all that is therein;
men, women, and children:

and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword;
this severity was used to show the Lord's indignation against the sin of idolatry, and to deter persons from it, both individuals and bodies of men.

Deuteronomy 13:15 In-Context

13 Evil men have gone out from you, and have caused all the inhabitants of their land to fall away, saying, Let us go and worship other gods, whom ye knew not,

14 then thou shalt enquire and ask, and search diligently, and behold, the thing is clearly true, and this abomination has taken place among you,

15 thou shalt utterly destroy all the dwellers in that land with the edge of the sword; ye shall solemnly curse it, and all things in it.

16 And all its spoils thou shalt gather into its public ways, and thou shalt burn the city with fire, and all its spoils publicly before the Lord thy God; and it shall be uninhabited for ever, it shall not be built again.

17 And there shall nothing of the cursed thing cleave to thy hand, that the Lord may turn from his fierce anger, and shew thee mercy, and pity thee, and multiply thee, as he sware to thy fathers;