Deuteronomy 20:13 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

And when the LORD your God has given you victory over the city, you must kill every male in it with the sword.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

This verse describes God's command to the Israelites to completely destroy the male population of certain enemy cities during their conquest of the Promised Land.

📚 Historical Context

In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses was giving final instructions to the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, outlining God's laws for warfare against hostile nations. This verse specifically addresses the conquest of cities that refused peace, commanding the destruction of males as part of God's judgment on those societies. It reflects the ancient Near Eastern context of total war, where such tactics were common to eliminate threats and secure the land.

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