TRV
Translation
King James Version
But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:
Complete Jewish Bible
Rather you must destroy them completely - the Hitti, the Emori, the Kena'ani, the P'rizi, the Hivi and the Y'vusi - as ADONAI your God has ordered you;
Berean Standard Bible
For you must devote them to complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you,
American Standard Version
but thou shalt utterly destroy them: the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee;
World English Bible Messianic
but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; as the LORD your God has commanded you;
Geneva Bible (1599)
But shalt vtterly destroy them: to wit, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hiuites, and the Iebusites, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee,
Young's Literal Translation
for thou dost certainly devote the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, as Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee,
See also
In the KJVVerse 5,445 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Deuteronomy 20 verses 10–20
10 ¶ When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.
11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
12 And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:
13 And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:
14 But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.
15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
16 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:
17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:
18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.
19 When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege:
20 Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.
They are here directed what method to take in dealing with the cities (these only are mentioned, Deu 20:10, but doubtless the armies in the field, and the nations they had occasion to deal with, are likewise intended) upon which they made war. They must not make a descent upon any of their neighbours till they had first given them fair notice, by a public manifesto, or remonstrance, stating the ground of their quarrel with them. In dealing with the worst of enemies, the laws of justice and honour must be observed; and, as the sword must never be taken in hand without cause, so not without cause shown. War is an appeal, in which the merits of the cause must be set forth.
I. Even to the proclamation of war must be subjoined a tender of peace, if they would accept of it upon reasonable terms. That is (say the Jewish writers), "upon condition that they renounce idolatry, worship the God of Israel, as proselytes of the gate that were not circumcised, pay to their new masters a yearly tribute, and submit to their government:" on these terms the process of war should be stayed, and their conquerors, upon this submission, were to be their protectors, Deu 20:10, Deu 20:11. Some think that even the seven nations of Canaan were to have this offer of peace made to them; and the offer was no jest or mockery, though it was of the Lord to harden their hearts that they should not accept it, Jos 11:20. Others think that they are excluded (Deu 20:16) not only from the benefit of that law (Deu 20:13) which confines military execution to the males only, but from the benefit of this also, which allows not to make war till peace was refused. And I see not how they could proclaim peace to those who by the law were to be utterly rooted out, and to whom they were to show no mercy, Deu 7:2. But for any other nation which they made war upon, for the enlarging of their coast, the avenging of any wrong done, or the recovery of any right denied, they must first proclaim peace to the. Let this show, 1. God's grace in dealing with sinners: though he might most justly and easily destroy them, yet, having no pleasure in their ruin, he proclaims peace, and beseeches them to be reconciled; so that those who lie most obnoxious to his justice, and ready to fall as sacrifices to it, if they make him an answer of peace, and open to him, upon condition that they will be tributaries and servants to him, shall not only be saved from ruin, but incorporated with his Israel, as fellow-citizens with the saints. 2. Let it show us our duty in dealing with our brethren: if any quarrel happen, let us not only be ready to hearken to the proposals of peace, but forward to make such proposals. We should never make use of the law till we have first tried to accommodate matters in variance amicably, and without expense and vexation. We must be for peace, whoever are for war.
II. If the offers of peace were not accepted, then they must proceed to push on the war. And let those to whom God offers peace know that if they reject the offer, and take not the benefit of it within the time limited, judgment will rejoice against mercy in the execution as much as now mercy rejoices against judgment in the reprieve. In this case, 1. There is a promise implied that they should be victorious. It is taken for granted that the Lord their God would deliver it into their hands, Deu 20:13. Note, Those enterprises which we undertake by a divine warrant, and prosecute by divine direction, we may expect to succeed in. If we take God's method, we shall have his blessing. 2. They are ordered, in honour to the public justice, to put all the soldiers to the sword, for them I understand by every male (Deu 20:13), all that bore arms (as all then did that were able); but the spoil they are allowed to take to themselves (Deu 20:14), in which were reckoned the women and children. Note, A justifiable property is acquired in that which is won in lawful war. God himself owns the title: The Lord thy God gives it thee; and therefore he must be owned in it, Psa 44:3.
III. The nations of Canaan are excepted from the merciful provisions made by this law. Remnants might be left of the cities that were very far off (Deu 20:15), because by them they were not in so much danger of being infected with idolatry, nor was their country so directly and immediately intended in the promise; but of the cities which were given to Israel for an inheritance no remnants must be left of their inhabitants (Deu 20:16), for it put a slight upon the promise to admit Canaanites to share with them in the peculiar land of promise; and for another reason they must be utterly destroyed (Deu 20:17), because, since it could not be expected that they should be cured of their idolatry, if they were left with that plague-sore upon them they would be in danger of infecting God's Israel, who were too apt to take the infection: They will teach you to do after their abominations (Deu 20:18), to introduce their customs into the worship of the God of Israel, and by degrees to forsake him and to worship false gods; for those that dare violate the second commandment will not long keep to the first. Strange worships open the door to strange deities.
IV. Care is here taken that in the besieging of cities there should not be any destruction made of fruit-trees, Deu 20:19-20. In those times, when besiegers forced their way, not as now with bombs and cannon-ball, but with battering rams, they had occasion for much timber in carrying on their sieges: now because, in the heat of war, men are not apt to consider, as they ought, the public good, it is expressly provided that fruit-trees should not be used as timber-trees. That reason, for the tree of the field is man's (the word life we supply), all the ancient versions, the Septuagint, Targums, etc., read, For is the tree of the field a man? Or the tree of the field is not a man, that it should come against thee in the siege, or retire from thee into the bulwark. "Do not brutishly vent thy rage against the trees that can do thee no harm." But our translation seems most agreeable to the intent of the law, and it teaches us, 1. That God is a better friend to man than man is to himself; and God's law, which we are apt to complain of as a heavy yoke, consults our interest and comfort, while our own appetites and passions, of which we are so indulgent, are really enemies to our welfare. The intent of many of the divine precepts is to restrain us from destroying that which is our life and food. 2. That armies and their commanders are not allowed to make what desolation they please in the countries that are the seat of war. Military rage must always be checked and ruled with reason. War, though carried on with ever so much caution, is destructive enough, and should not be made more so than is absolutely necessary. Generous spirits will show themselves tender, not only of men's lives, but of their livelihoods; for, though the life is more than meat, yet it will soon be nothing without meat. 3. The Jews understand this as a prohibition of all wilful waste upon any account whatsoever. No fruit-tree is to be destroyed unless it be barren, and cumber the ground. "Nay," they maintain, "whoso wilfully breaks vessels, tears clothes, stops wells, pulls down buildings, or destroys meat, transgresses this law: Thou shalt not destroy." Christ took care that the broken meat should be gathered up, that nothing might be lost. Every creature of God is good, and, as nothing is to be refused, so nothing is to be abused. We may live to want what we carelessly waste.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–20. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Deuteronomy 20:17 presents a profound and uncompromising divine directive to the Israelites regarding the indigenous inhabitants of Canaan. It mandates the complete and utter destruction of specific Canaanite tribes—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as a direct and non-negotiable instruction from the LORD their God. This injunction is not presented as an act of arbitrary cruelty or nationalistic expansion, but as a necessary measure for the spiritual preservation of Israel and the execution of God's righteous judgment against generations of profound wickedness and moral corruption that had defiled the land.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 20:17 employs several significant literary devices that amplify its message and underscore its theological weight. The most prominent is Enumeration, as it meticulously lists the specific Canaanite tribes—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—targeted by the command. This precise listing leaves no ambiguity about the scope of the directive, emphasizing its particular and limited application to these nations whose iniquity had reached its full measure. Coupled with this is the device of Divine Command, which is powerfully evident in the imperative "thou shalt utterly destroy them" and reinforced by the concluding "as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee." This highlights the absolute authority and divine origin of the instruction, framing it as a non-negotiable decree from God Himself, rather than a human strategy. The use of the strong verb "utterly destroy" (from ḥāram) also functions as a form of Emphasis and Intensification, underscoring the completeness and severity of the required action, signaling that this was not a partial or conditional measure but a total devotion to destruction for the sake of holiness and the prevention of spiritual contamination.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Deuteronomy 20:17 stands as a stark reminder of God's absolute holiness and His righteous intolerance for sin, particularly the pervasive idolatry and moral corruption that characterized the Canaanite nations. This command reveals God's unwavering commitment to protecting the spiritual purity of His covenant people, Israel, from the defiling influences of the surrounding cultures. It is an act of divine surgery, cutting out a cancerous growth to preserve the health of the body. While challenging to modern sensibilities, it must be understood within the broader narrative of God's justice, His long-suffering patience that eventually reaches a point of judgment, and His sovereign right to judge when iniquity is complete. This passage foreshadows the ultimate confrontation between God's holiness and human sin, which finds its definitive resolution in Christ.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the literal command to "utterly destroy" was a unique historical directive for ancient Israel's conquest of Canaan, given for a specific time and purpose, the underlying spiritual principles remain profoundly relevant for believers today. This passage calls us to soberly consider God's absolute holiness, His righteous intolerance for sin, and the severe consequences of spiritual compromise. For Christians, the "utter destruction" can be understood metaphorically as the necessity to decisively and uncompromisingly deal with sin and evil influences in our own lives and communities. We are called to engage in vigorous spiritual warfare, casting down strongholds of sin, idolatry, and ungodliness within ourselves and refusing to compromise with the corrupting values of the world. This involves a radical commitment to repentance, sanctification, and spiritual purity, ensuring that no "Canaanite" influence of sin remains to defile our devotion to God. It is a call to be set apart, holy as God is holy, actively pursuing righteousness and rejecting all forms of evil that would hinder our walk with Christ and our witness to the world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was God unjust in commanding the destruction of the Canaanites?
Answer: This is a complex and often challenging question that requires a robust biblical understanding. From a theological perspective, God's command was not an act of injustice but a righteous judgment against generations of profound and pervasive wickedness. The Canaanite cultures were characterized by extreme moral depravity, including widespread idolatry, sexual perversions, and the horrific practice of child sacrifice (Leviticus 18:24-28). God had shown immense patience, allowing their iniquity to "reach its full measure" (Genesis 15:16). Israel acted as an instrument of divine judgment, similar to how God used other nations to judge Israel later for their own disobedience. Furthermore, the command was limited to specific tribes within a specific geographical area, not a general license for conquest, and was intended to preserve the spiritual purity of Israel, who were to be a holy nation set apart for God and through whom the Messiah would come. It was a specific, unique judgment for a specific, unique historical context.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Deuteronomy 20:17, with its command for the utter destruction of the Canaanites, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not in physical conquest, but in the spiritual warfare waged by Christ and for believers. Jesus Christ is the true and ultimate warrior who decisively conquers sin, death, and the devil. His work on the cross represents the definitive "utter destruction" of the power of sin over humanity (Hebrews 2:14) and the spiritual forces of evil that enslaved mankind (Colossians 2:15). Through His sacrifice, the "iniquity" that separates humanity from God is atoned for, and the "idolatry" of the human heart is confronted and overcome. For the believer, the historical command to "utterly destroy" is transformed into the call to put to death the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:13) and to crucify the old self with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24). Just as Israel was to cleanse the land of corrupting influences, so too are believers called to cleanse their hearts and lives of all that is contrary to God's holiness, empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 7:1). The ultimate "Promised Land" is the new heavens and new earth, where righteousness dwells and all "Canaanite" influences of sin and evil will be utterly destroyed by Christ at His glorious return (Revelation 21:27).