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

13have been led away from the Lord your God by worthless people. You may hear that these people have been saying, “Let’s worship other gods.” (Those gods may be gods you’ve never heard of.) 14Then make a thorough investigation. If it is true, and you can prove that this disgusting thing has been done among you, you must kill the residents of that city with swords and destroy that city and everyone in it, including the animals, because they are claimed by God. 16Gather their goods into the middle of the city square. Then burn their city and all their goods as a burnt offering to the Lord your God. It must remain a mound of ruins and never be rebuilt. 17Don’t ever take any of the things claimed for destruction. Then the Lord will stop being angry and will show you mercy. In his mercy he will make your population increase, as he swore to your ancestors.

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 that time we captured all his cities and claimed them for God by destroying men, women, and children. There were no survivors.
• Deuteronomy 7:2When the Lord your God gives them to you and you defeat them, destroy every one of them because they have been claimed by the Lord. Don’t make any treaties with them or show them any mercy.
• Exodus 22:20“Whoever sacrifices to any god except the Lord must be condemned and destroyed.
• Exodus 23:24Never worship or serve their gods or follow their practices. Instead, you must destroy their gods and crush their sacred stones.
• Leviticus 27:28“However, everything dedicated to the Lord for destruction—a person, an animal, or a field that belongs to you—must not be sold or bought back. Everything dedicated in that way is very holy. It belongs to the Lord.
• Joshua 6:17The city has been claimed by the Lord. Everything in it belongs to the Lord. Only the prostitute Rahab and all who are in the house with her will live because she hid the messengers we sent.
• Judges 20:48Then the men of Israel went back to attack the rest of the territory of Benjamin. They killed all the people and cattle they found in every city. They also burned down every city they came to.
• Revelation 17:16The ten horns and the beast you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her abandoned and naked. They will eat her flesh and burn her up in a fire.
• Revelation 18:18When they saw the smoke rise from her raging fire, they repeatedly cried out, ‘Was there ever a city as important as this?’
• Revelation 19:2His judgments are true and fair. He has condemned the notorious prostitute who corrupted the world with her sexual sins. He has taken revenge on her for 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

• 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