English Standard Version
Deuteronomy 13:15
15you 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)you must attack that town and completely destroy all its inhabitants, as well as all the livestock.
Context of Deuteronomy 13:15
13that certain worthless fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods,' which you have not known, 14then you shall inquire and make search and ask diligently. And behold, if it be true and certain that such an abomination has been done among you, 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. 16You shall gather all its spoil into the midst of its open square and burn the city and all its spoil with fire, as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. It shall be a heap forever. It shall not be built again. 17None of the devoted things shall stick to your hand, that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger and show you mercy and have compassion on you and multiply you, as he swore to your fathers,
Read all of Deuteronomy 13Deuteronomy 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 2:34And we captured all his cities at that time and devoted to destruction every city, men, women, and children. We left no survivors.
- Deuteronomy 7:2and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them.
- Exodus 22:20"Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction.
- Exodus 23:24you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces.
- Leviticus 27:28"But no devoted thing that a man devotes to the Lord, of anything that he has, whether man or beast, or of his inherited field, shall be sold or redeemed; every devoted thing is most holy to the Lord.
- Joshua 6:17And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.
- Judges 20:48And the men of Israel turned back against the people of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, the city, men and beasts and all that they found. And all the towns that they found they set on fire.
- Revelation 17:16And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire,
- Revelation 18:18and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, "What city was like the great city?"
- Revelation 19:2for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants."
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
In the dictionaries
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
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Commentaries