Deuteronomy 20:16 “However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving…”

Deuteronomy 20:16

However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:

World English Bible

But of the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes;

American Standard Version

But of the cities of these peoples, that Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth;

Geneva Bible 1599

But of the cities of this people, which the Lord thy God shall giue thee to inherite, thou shalt saue no person aliue,

Darby Translation

But of the cities of these peoples which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth,

Young's Literal Translation

'Only, of the cities of these peoples which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee [for] an inheritance, thou dost not keep alive any breathing;

Bible in Basic English

But in the towns of these peoples whose land the Lord your God is giving you for your heritage, let no living thing be kept from death:

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Cross references

“But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:”

Joshua 11:14 Deuteronomy 7:1–4 Numbers 33:52 Joshua 6:17–21 Deuteronomy 7:16 Numbers 21:35

Joshua 11:14 · BSB

The Israelites took for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but they put all the people to the sword until they had completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone who breathed.

Deuteronomy 7:1–4 · BSB

When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven natio…

Numbers 33:52 · BSB

you must drive out before you all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places.

Joshua 6:17–21 · BSB

Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent.

Deuteronomy 7:16 · BSB

You must destroy all the peoples the LORD your God will deliver to you. Do not look on them with pity. Do not worship their gods, for that will be a snare to you.

Numbers 21:35 · BSB

So they struck down Og, along with his sons and his whole army, until no remnant was left. And they took possession of his land.

Also

Exodus 23:31–33

Exodus 23:31–33 · BSB

And I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the Euphrates. For I will deliver the inhabitants into your hand, and you will drive them out before you.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

15This is how you are to treat all the cities that are far away from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.

17For you must devote them to complete destruction —the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you,

Read Deuteronomy 20