Deuteronomy 20:18

18 so that they may not teach you to do 1according to all their detestable things which they have done for their gods, so that you would 2sin 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 "Only in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you shall not leave alive anything that breathes.
17 "But you shall utterly destroy them, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite and the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, as the LORD your God has commanded you,
18 so that they may not teach you to do according to all their detestable things which they have done for their gods, so that you would sin against the LORD your God.
19 "When you besiege a city a long time, to make war against it in order to capture it, you shall not destroy its trees by swinging an axe against them; for you may eat from them, and you shall not cut them down. For is the tree of the field a man, that it should be besieged by you?
20 "Only the trees which you know are not fruit trees you shall destroy and cut down, that you may construct siegeworks against the city that is making war with you until it falls.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Exodus 34:12-16; Deuteronomy 7:4; Deuteronomy 9:5; Deuteronomy 12:30, 31
  • 2. Exodus 23:33; 2 Kings 21:3-15; Psalms 106:34-41
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