Deuteronomy 20 13

Deuteronomy 20:13 kjv

And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:

Deuteronomy 20:13 nkjv

And when the LORD your God delivers it into your hands, you shall strike every male in it with the edge of the sword.

Deuteronomy 20:13 niv

When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it.

Deuteronomy 20:13 esv

And when the LORD your God gives it into your hand, you shall put all its males to the sword,

Deuteronomy 20:13 nlt

When the LORD your God hands the town over to you, use your swords to kill every man in the town.

Deuteronomy 20 verses

Deuteronomy 20 13 Meaning

Deuteronomy 20:13 instructs Israel, when conquering a distant city that refused its peace offer, to put "all its males to the sword." This divine command was a specific rule of warfare for nations outside the Promised Land, serving to eliminate armed resistance and subjugate the populace, yet notably allowing the preservation of women, children, and livestock as spoil. It underscores God's sovereignty in granting victory and His specific instructions for covenant people engaging in armed conflict.

Deuteronomy 20 13 Context

Deuteronomy Chapter 20 provides the Mosaic laws concerning warfare. These laws carefully delineate different types of military engagements and ethical parameters for Israel. Critically, it distinguishes between "distant cities" (vv. 10-15) and "cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance" (Canaanite nations, vv. 16-18). Verse 13 falls squarely under the laws for distant cities. For these cities, the first instruction (vv. 10-12) is to offer terms of peace; only if rejected and the city is conquered does the instruction of verse 13 apply. In contrast, for Canaanite nations, there was to be total annihilation (cherem) of everything that breathed to prevent the corrupting influence of their idolatry and abominable practices from spreading among Israel. Thus, Deuteronomy 20:13 is part of a measured, though severe, code of conduct for external wars, where plunder was taken and the female population could be absorbed, distinct from the existential eradication for the seven Canaanite nations. Historically, these instructions aimed to maintain Israel's holiness and distinctiveness as God's covenant people.

Deuteronomy 20 13 Word analysis

• וּנְתָנָהּ (u-nə-ta-na-hāh) – "And He gives it": This is from the root נָתַן (nathan), meaning "to give," "to put," or "to grant." The use of the divine passive (where God is the implied subject) or the direct subject ("He gives") signifies that the conquest and acquisition of the city are not simply the result of Israelite military might but are a sovereign act and gift from God. It highlights divine initiative and authority behind the military success.

• יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ (Yahweh Eloheka) – "The Lord your God": Yahweh refers to the personal, covenant name of God, emphasizing His relationship with Israel. Eloheka ("your God") further reinforces this intimate, unique covenant bond. This phrase establishes the ultimate authority and source of the command, framing the act of war as a divinely sanctioned act within the covenant.

• בְּיָדֶךָ (bə-yā-ḏe-ḵā) – "into your hand": This is a common Hebrew idiom meaning "into your power," "into your control," or "deliver into your possession." It emphasizes God's active role in empowering Israel for victory and granting them authority over the conquered city.

• וְהִכִּיתָ (wə-hikkī-ṯā) – "and you shall strike/slay": From the root נָכָה (nakah), which commonly means "to strike," "to smite," "to wound," and frequently "to kill" in a military or judicial context. It's a direct, forceful command to execute the specified action.

• אֶת-כָּל-זְכוּרֶיהָ (’eṯ-kāl-zə-ḵū-re-hā) – "all its males": כָּל (kol) means "all" or "every." זְכוּרֶיהָ (zəḵūrêhā) is "its males," derived from זָכָר (zakhar), "male." This specifically designates the male population. In military contexts of the ancient world, "males" would predominantly refer to those of military age or capacity to fight, effectively neutralizing any future threat or organized resistance from the conquered city.

• לְפִי-חָרֶב (lə-p̄î-ḥā-reḇ) – "by the edge of the sword": לְפִי (lĕpî) literally means "by the mouth of," as פֶּה (peh) is "mouth," but idiomatically refers to the sharp edge of an implement. חֶרֶב (ḥerev) is "sword." This phrase is a common biblical expression indicating death by battle or execution by a blade, highlighting a swift and decisive elimination of combatants.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "And when the Lord your God gives it into your hand": This phrase is paramount. It emphasizes divine authorization and empowerment for the conquest. The victory is not due to Israel's military might alone but is a sovereign act of Yahweh, implying that the act of war is an act of divine judgment and controlled by His will.
  • "you shall put all its males to the sword": This specifies the command. While severe, the limitation to "males" for distant cities sets it apart from the cherem policy (total destruction of all inhabitants) prescribed for Canaanite nations in verses 16-18. It suggests a more pragmatic military action to eliminate active or potential fighting forces, distinct from the existential cleansing required within the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 20 13 Bonus section

The command in Deuteronomy 20:13, though challenging for modern readers, offers several insights into divine interaction with humanity within its historical context:

• Unique Restraint: While seemingly brutal, this command represented a restraint compared to the pervasive ancient Near Eastern military practices of total genocide, including widespread torture, enslavement, and dismemberment of all populations—men, women, and children. The provision to preserve women, children, and livestock (Deut 20:14) for distant cities marks a qualitative difference, suggesting a measure of peculiar "mercy" within the violent realities of that era.
• Corporate Responsibility/Judgment: The principle of judgment falling upon the whole male fighting population reflects a concept of corporate responsibility, where the collective choices and resistance of the city led to this outcome, particularly their refusal of the initial peace offer.
• Divine Sovereignty in War: The consistent emphasis on God "giving" the city into Israel's hand highlights a critical theological point: Israel's military success was not by their own might but by divine favor and enablement. This served to prevent human pride and remind them of their dependence on Yahweh.
• Preparation for a Holy Nation: Even harsh commands in Deuteronomy are fundamentally tied to Israel's calling as a holy nation, separated unto God. These war laws, in conjunction with peace offerings, structured boundaries for engagement with foreign peoples to maintain Israel's unique identity and avoid assimilation into pagan practices.

Deuteronomy 20 13 Commentary

Deuteronomy 20:13 represents a distinct aspect of Israelite warfare, specifically concerning conquered cities that lay outside the immediate Promised Land and resisted initial peace offers. The core of this command emphasizes that warfare for Israel was not mere territorial ambition but was undertaken under divine direction ("the Lord your God gives it into your hand"). The selective elimination of "all its males" – primarily referring to those capable of bearing arms – was a harsh but standard practice in ancient Near Eastern warfare for subjugating a city, aimed at preventing future rebellion and ensuring complete control. However, unlike many contemporary ancient Near Eastern armies which might engage in total, indiscriminate slaughter and atrocity, this Mosaic law, in context with the following verse (v. 14, preserving women, children, and livestock), reveals a measured approach for non-Canaanite wars. While undeniably severe from a modern perspective, this regulation showcased a unique, albeit partial, restraint compared to the practices of Israel's pagan neighbors. It was about securing Israel's position and the fruit of God-given victory, without the full scale "herem" (utter destruction) required for the idolatrous peoples within Canaan proper. The purpose was pragmatic and religious: securing the land given by God, exercising divine judgment on a rejecting populace, and distinguishing Israel's military engagements from the wholesale barbarism of other nations, particularly through the offering of peace.