Deuteronomy 13:15

Deuteronomy 13:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.
• New International Version (NIV)you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. You must destroy it completely, both its people and its livestock.
• English Standard Version (ESV)you shall surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword, devoting it to destruction, all who are in it and its cattle, with the edge of the sword.
• New King James Version (NKJV)you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying it, all that is in it and its livestock—with the edge of the sword.

Context of Deuteronomy 13:15

13that some worthless and evil men have gone out from among you and have tempted the inhabitants of their city [to sin], saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom you have not known), 14then you shall investigate and search out [witnesses] and ask thorough questions. If it is true and the matter is established that this loathsome thing has been done among you, you shall most certainly strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying it and all that is in it, even its livestock with the edge of the sword. 16Then you shall collect all its spoil (plunder) into the middle of its open square and burn the city and set fire to the spoil as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. It shall be a ruin forever. It shall not be built again. 17Nothing from that which is put under the ban (designated for destruction) shall cling to your hand, so that the Lord may turn away from His burning anger and show mercy to you, and have compassion on you and make you increase, just as He swore to your fathers,

Deuteronomy 13:15 word by word

הַכֵּ֣ה תַכֶּ֗ה אֶת־יֹֽשְׁבֵ֛י הָעִ֥יר הַהִ֖יא לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב הַחֲרֵ֨ם אֹתָ֧הּ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֛הּ וְאֶת־בְּהֶמְתָּ֖הּ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thou shalt surelyנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• the inhabitantsיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• of that cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• with the edgeפֶּהpeh · lip: edgeH6310
• of the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• destroying it utterlyחָרַםchâram · to devote/destroyH2763
• therein, and the cattleבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 13:15

• Deuteronomy 2:34At the same time we took all his cities and utterly destroyed every city—men, women and children. We left no survivor.
• Deuteronomy 7:2and when the Lord your God gives them over to you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall not make a covenant (treaty) with them nor show mercy and compassion to them.
• Exodus 22:20“He who sacrifices to any god, other than to the Lord alone, shall be put under a ban (designated) for destruction (execution).
• Exodus 23:24You shall not bow down to worship their gods, nor serve them, nor do [anything] in accordance with their practices. You shall completely overthrow them and break down their [sacred] pillars and images [of pagan worship].
• Leviticus 27:28‘But nothing that a man sets apart [that is, devotes as an offering] to the Lord out of all that he has, of man or of animal or of the fields of his own property, shall be sold or redeemed. Anything devoted to destruction (banned, cursed) is most holy to the Lord.
• Joshua 6:17The city and everything that is in it shall be under the ban [that is, designated to be destroyed as a form of tribute] to the Lord; only Rahab the prostitute and all [the people] who are with her in her house shall [be allowed to] live, because she hid and protected the messengers (scouts) whom we sent.
• Judges 20:48The men of Israel turned back against [the tribe of] the sons of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city [of Gibeah] and the livestock and all that they found. They also set on fire all the [surrounding] towns which they found.
• Revelation 17:16And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her desolate and naked [stripped of her power and influence], and will eat her flesh and completely consume her with fire.
• Revelation 18:18and exclaimed as they watched the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What could be compared to the great city?’
• Revelation 19:2because His judgments are true and righteous. He has judged [convicted and pronounced sentence on] the great prostitute (idolatress) who was corrupting and ruining and poisoning the earth with her adultery (idolatry), and He has imposed the penalty for the blood of His bond-servants on her.”

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 13:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants - If one city were permitted to practice idolatry, the evil would soon spread, therefore the contagion must be destroyed in its birth.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 Here is the case of a city revolting from the God of Israel, and serving other gods. The crime is supposed to be committed by one of the cities of Israel. Even when they were ordered to preserve their religion by force, yet they were not allowed to bring others to it by fire and sword. Spiritual judgments under the Christian dispensation are more terrible than the execution of criminals; we have not less cause than the Israelites had, to fear…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-18Prophets who tried to lead Israel away from the one true God committed treason, which was punishable by death. No other religion demanded exclusive worship of their national gods. As a result, such severe penalties for worshiping other gods were unknown in the ancient Near East.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1812-18. Certain men, the children of Belial--lawless, designing demagogues (Jud 19:22; 1Sa 1:16; 25:25), who abused their influence to withdraw the inhabitants of the city to idol-worship.Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 13:15

• Church

In the dictionaries

• Accursed
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Deuteronomy
• Exodus, the Book of
• Ezekiel
• Genesis
• Leviticus
• Law of Moses
• Punishments

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings