Deuteronomy 20:16

16 But in the cities of these nacions which the Lorde thy God geueth the to enheret, thou shalt saue alyue nothinge that bretheth.

Deuteronomy 20:16 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 20:16

But of the cities of those people, which the Lord thy God doth
give thee for an inheritance
The cities of the seven nations, six of which are mentioned by name in the next verse:

thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth;
the reason of this severity was because of their wickedness, the capital crimes and gross abominations they were guilty of, and for which they deserved to die; and on account whereof they were reserved to this destruction, when the measure of their iniquities was full, such as idolatry, incest, witchcraft, soothsaying, necromancy see ( Leviticus 18:3 Leviticus 18:24 Leviticus 18:25 Leviticus 18:27 ) ( 20:2-23 ) ( Deuteronomy 18:9-12 ) .

Deuteronomy 20:16 In-Context

14 saue the weme and the childern and the catell and all that is in the citie and all the spoyle thereof take vnto thy selfe and eate the spoyle of thyne enemies which the Lord thy God geueth the.

15 Thus thou shalt doo vnto all the cities whiche are a greate waye of from the ad not of the cities of these nacions.

16 But in the cities of these nacions which the Lorde thy God geueth the to enheret, thou shalt saue alyue nothinge that bretheth.

17 But shalt destroye them with out redempcion, both the Hethites, the Amorites, the Cananites, the Pherezites, the Heuites and the Iebusites, as the Lorde thy God hath commaunded the,

18 that they teach you not to doo after all their abhominacyons whiche they doo vnto theire goddes, and so shulde synne agenst the Lorde youre God