Deuteronomy 20:18

18 Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 20:18 in Other Translations

KJV
18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.
ESV
18 that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have done for their gods, and so you sin against the LORD your God.
NLT
18 This will prevent the people of the land from teaching you to imitate their detestable customs in the worship of their gods, which would cause you to sin deeply against the LORD your God.
MSG
18 This is so there won't be any of them left to teach you to practice the abominations that they engage in with their gods and you end up sinning against God, your God.
CSB
18 so that they won't teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and you 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, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes.
17 Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you.
18 Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God.
19 When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people, that you should besiege them?
20 However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls.

Cross References 2

  • 1. S Exodus 34:16; Deuteronomy 7:4; Deuteronomy 12:30-31
  • 2. S Exodus 10:7; Exodus 23:33
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