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Wednesday, August 27th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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New Century Version

Deuteronomy 13:15

you must kill with a sword everyone who lives in that city. Destroy the city completely and kill everyone in it, as well as the animals, with a sword.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Thompson Chain Reference - Canaan, Land of;   Extermination;   Wars of Extermination;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Idol, Idolatry;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Israel;   Kill, Killing;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Devoted Thing;   Elijah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Capital Punishment;   Crimes and Punishments;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Deuteronomy;   Prophecy, Prophets;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Accursed;   Deuteronomy;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Abomination;   Accessories;   Capital Punishment;   Jurisdiction;   Sanhedrin;   Sidra;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
you must strike down the inhabitants of that city with the sword. Completely destroy everyone in it as well as its livestock with the sword.
Hebrew Names Version
you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein and the cattle of it, with the edge of the sword.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
then you shall certainly strike down the inhabitants of that town with the edge of the sword; you shall destroy it and everything in it, its domestic animals with the edge of the sword.
English Standard Version
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 English Translation
you must by all means slaughter the inhabitants of that city with the sword; annihilate with the sword everyone in it, as well as the livestock.
Amplified Bible
you shall most certainly strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying it and all that is in it, even its livestock with the edge of the sword.
New American Standard Bible
you shall most certainly strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword. Utterly destroy it and all who are in it and its cattle, with the edge of the sword.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thou shalt euen slay the inhabitants of that citie with the edge of the sworde: destroy it vtterly, and all that is therein, and the cattel thereof with the edge of the sworde.
Legacy Standard Bible
you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, devoting it to destruction and all that is in it and its cattle with the edge of the sword.
Contemporary English Version
you must take your swords and kill every one of them, and their livestock too.
Complete Jewish Bible
then you are to investigate the matter, inquiring and searching diligently. If the rumor is true, if it is confirmed that such detestable things are being done among you,
Darby Translation
thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, devoting it to destruction, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.
Easy-to-Read Version
then you must kill all the people of that city and their animals too. You must destroy that city completely.
George Lamsa Translation
You shall surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and its cattle, with the edge of the sword.
Good News Translation
then kill all the people in that town and all their livestock too. Destroy that town completely.
Literal Translation
striking you shall strike those who live in that city by the mouth of the sword, destroying it completely, and all that is in it, and its livestock, with the mouth of the sword.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
then shalt thou smyte the indwellers of the same cite and their catell, with the edge of the swerde, and damne the cite with all that is therin:
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
Then take up arms against the people of that town and give it up to the curse, with all its cattle and everything in it.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then thou shalt smyte the dwellers of that citie with the edge of the sworde, and destroy it vtterly, & all that is therin, and euen the very cattell therof, with the edge of the sworde:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
then shalt thou inquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in the midst of thee;
King James Version (1611)
Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that citie with the edge of the sword, destroying it vtterly, and all that is therein, and the cattell thereof, with the edge of the sword.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
thou shalt utterly destroy all the dwellers in that land with the edge of the sword; ye shall solemnly curse it, and all things in it.
English Revised Version
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.
Berean Standard Bible
you must surely strike down the inhabitants of that city with the sword. Devote to destruction all its people and livestock.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
anoon thou schalt smyte the dwelleris of that citee bi the scharpnesse of swerd, and thou schalt `do it awey, and alle thingis that ben ther ynne, `til to beestis.
Young's Literal Translation
`Thou dost surely smite the inhabitants of that city by the mouth of the sword; devoting it, and all that [is] in it, even its cattle, by the mouth of the sword;
Update Bible Version
you shall surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it completely, and all that is therein and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.
Webster's Bible Translation
Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that [is] in it, and its cattle, with the edge of the sword.
World English Bible
you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein and the cattle of it, with the edge of the sword.
New King James Version
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
you must attack that town and completely destroy all its inhabitants, as well as all the livestock.
New Life Bible
you must be sure to go against those of that city with the sword. Destroy all of it, all that is in it, and its cattle, with the sword.
New Revised Standard
you shall put the inhabitants of that town to the sword, utterly destroying it and everything in it—even putting its livestock to the sword.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
then shalt thou smite, the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, devoting it to destruction, and all that is therein and the cattle thereof: with the edge of the sword, -
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt forthwith kill the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, and shalt destroy it and all things that are in it, even the cattle.
Revised Standard Version
you shall surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword, destroying it utterly, all who are in it and its cattle, with the edge of the sword.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying it and all that is in it and its cattle with the edge of the sword.

Contextual Overview

12 The Lord your God is giving you cities in which to live, and you might hear something about one of them. Someone might say 13 that evil people have moved in among you. And they might lead the people of that city away from God, saying, "Let's go and worship other gods." (These are gods you have not known.) 14 Then you must ask about it, looking into the matter and checking carefully whether it is true. If it is proved that a hateful thing has happened among you, 15 you must kill with a sword everyone who lives in that city. Destroy the city completely and kill everyone in it, as well as the animals, with a sword. 16 Gather up everything those people owned, and put it in the middle of the city square. Then completely burn the city and everything they owned as a burnt offering to the Lord your God. That city should never be rebuilt; let it be ruined forever. 17 Don't keep for yourselves any of the things found in that city, so the Lord will not be angry anymore. He will give you mercy and feel sorry for you, and he will make your nation grow larger, as he promised to your ancestors. 18 You will have obeyed the Lord your God by keeping all his commands that I am giving to you today, and you will be doing what the Lord says is right.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

destroying it utterly: Deuteronomy 2:34, Deuteronomy 7:2, Deuteronomy 7:16, Exodus 22:20, Exodus 23:24, Leviticus 27:28, Joshua 6:17-21, Joshua 6:24, Judges 20:48, Revelation 17:16, Revelation 18:18-24, Revelation 19:2, Revelation 19:3

Reciprocal: Numbers 21:2 - I will Numbers 25:4 - and hang Numbers 25:5 - Slay ye Joshua 7:15 - he that is Joshua 22:12 - the whole Judges 21:10 - Go and smite 1 Samuel 15:3 - utterly destroy Psalms 106:30 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 12:7
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your descendants." So Abram built an altar there to the Lord , who had appeared to him.
Genesis 13:1
So Abram, his wife, and Lot left Egypt, taking everything they owned, and traveled to southern Canaan.
Genesis 13:2
Abram was very rich in cattle, silver, and gold.
Genesis 13:3
He left southern Canaan and went back to Bethel where he had camped before, between Bethel and Ai,
Genesis 13:4
and where he had built an altar. So he worshiped the Lord there.
Genesis 13:7
so Abram's herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen began to argue. The Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at this time.
Genesis 13:8
Abram said to Lot, "There should be no arguing between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, because we are brothers.
Genesis 13:9
We should separate. The whole land is there in front of you. If you go to the left, I will go to the right. If you go to the right, I will go to the left."
Genesis 13:12
Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived among the cities in the Jordan Valley, very near to Sodom.
Genesis 15:18
So on that day the Lord made an agreement with Abram and said, "I will give to your descendants the land between the river of Egypt and the great river Euphrates.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword,.... This could not be the work of a single person, nor of the whole sanhedrim, but was what the whole nation was to join in, according to the above note:

destroying it utterly; pulling down the houses, and demolishing its walls and fortifications, or burning it, as afterwards explained:

and all that is therein; men, women, and children:

and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword; this severity was used to show the Lord's indignation against the sin of idolatry, and to deter persons from it, both individuals and bodies of men.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 13:15. Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants — If one city were permitted to practise idolatry, the evil would soon spread, therefore the contagion must be destroyed in its birth.


 
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