Deuteronomy 13:16

16 Also whatever thing of purtenance of household is found there, thou shalt gather it together in [the] midst of the streets thereof, and thou shalt burn it with that city, so that thou waste all things before thy Lord God, and it be a burial everlasting; it shall no more be builded. (And whatever thing of purtenance of household is found there, thou shalt gather it together in the middle of its streets, or in the town square, and thou shalt burn all those things along with that city, so that thou destroy all those things before the Lord thy God, and it shall be an everlasting burial; that city shall never be rebuilt.)

Deuteronomy 13:16 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 13:16

And thou shall gather all the spoil of it into the midst of
the street thereof
All the wealth and substance of the inhabitants, their household goods, shop goods, merchandise, utensils in trade and business, and everything that can be named. The Jews say {p}, if there is no street, they make one (or a marketplace); if that is without it, they bring them into the midst of it:

and shall burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every
whit;
be it what it may, or let it be whose property it will; and all this shall be done for the Lord thy God; as by his appointment and command, and in obedience to him, so for his honour and glory, and the vindication of his righteous law;

and it shall be an heap for ever, it shall not be built again;
but lie a waste as Jericho, though not an entire waste; for according to the Jewish writers, though it might not be built as it was before, it might be made into gardens and orchards ^F17.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 11. sect. 6.
F17 lbid. Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.

Deuteronomy 13:16 In-Context

14 inquire thou busily, and when the truth of the thing is beholden diligently, if thou findest that this thing is certain, that is said, and that this abomination is done indeed, (carefully inquire thou, and when the truth of the thing is diligently seen, if thou findest that it is certain that this was said, and that this abomination was indeed done,)

15 anon thou shalt smite the dwellers of that city with the sharpness of sword (at once thou shalt strike the inhabitants of that city with the sharpness of the sword), and thou shalt destroy that city, and all things that be therein, unto the beasts.

16 Also whatever thing of purtenance of household is found there, thou shalt gather it together in [the] midst of the streets thereof, and thou shalt burn it with that city, so that thou waste all things before thy Lord God, and it be a burial everlasting; it shall no more be builded. (And whatever thing of purtenance of household is found there, thou shalt gather it together in the middle of its streets, or in the town square, and thou shalt burn all those things along with that city, so that thou destroy all those things before the Lord thy God, and it shall be an everlasting burial; that city shall never be rebuilt.)

17 And nothing of that cursing shall dwell in thine hand, that the Lord be turned away from the wrath of his strong vengeance, and have mercy upon thee, and multiply thee, as he swore to thy fathers. (And then nothing of what be cursed shall be found in thy hands, and the Lord shall turn away from the anger of his strong vengeance, and shall have mercy on thee, and shall multiply thee, as he promised to thy fathers.)

18 When thou hast heard the voice of thy Lord God, thou shalt keep all his behests which I command to thee today, that thou do that thing that is pleasing in the sight of thy Lord God. (When thou hast heard the voice of the Lord thy God, thou shalt obey all his commandments which I command to thee today, so that thou do what is right before the Lord thy God.)