And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
When the LORD your God hands them over to you, you must defeat them and completely destroy them. Don't make any treaties with them or show them mercy.
God is commanding the Israelites to completely defeat their enemies without making peace deals or showing mercy to them.
📚 Historical Context
This command was given to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land, referring specifically to the Canaanite nations who occupied the territory God had promised to Abraham's descendants. These nations practiced child sacrifice, temple prostitution, and other practices that God considered detestable. The complete destruction was meant to prevent the Israelites from being influenced by these religious practices and turning away from worshipping God alone.
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