Deuteronomy 20:16-18

(4) TREATMENT OF CANAANITE CITIES (Deuteronomy 20:16-18)

16 But of the cities of these peoples, that Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth; 17 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; 18 that they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so would ye sin against Jehovah your God.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 20:16-18

340.

Isn-'t there some admission of weakness in the need to utterly destroy these nations so that they teach you not to do after all their abominations. ?

341.

Why not teach the other nations rather than learning from their teaching?

AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 20:16-18

16 But of the cities of these people, which the Lord your God gives you for inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes.
17 But you shall utterly exterminate them, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the Lord your God has commanded you;
18 So they may not teach you all the abominable practices they have carried on for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the Lord your God.

COMMENT 20:16-18

With these cities there was to be no arbitration, no peace conferences, no long negotiations for peaceful coexistence. They were to be totally and finally destroyed. And God well knew what would happen if they were not (Deuteronomy 20:18). See also Deuteronomy 7:1-5 and notes.