Deuteronomy 13:17
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The verse promises that God's mercy and multiplication will follow their obedience, not in spite of the severe judgment, but because of it. This highlights that God's blessing isn't just after our obedience, but often because we’ve purged what He hates, showing His faithfulness to His promises.
None of the devoted things shall stick to your hand, that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger and show you mercy and have compassion on you and multiply you, as he swore to your fathers,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage comes after instructions on how to deal with individuals or even entire cities within Israel that have turned to idolatry. After a thorough investigation to confirm the offense, the entire city and all its possessions are to be utterly destroyed and burned, with nothing left to be kept or used by the people. This severe command is followed by the reminder that the Israelites must ensure none of the "devoted things" – the accursed property – are kept for themselves, lest God’s fierce anger remain and prevent them from receiving His promised mercy and multiplication.
Imagine God commanding you to utterly destroy an entire city – people, possessions, everything. What does this 'devoted thing' mean, and why such extreme measures?
The command to utterly destroy an idolatrous city and its contents refers to something set apart for God's judgment, called the 'cherem' in Hebrew. This wasn't about random violence, but about responding to rebellion that fundamentally broke the covenant with God.
It seems counterintuitive: to receive mercy, God demands total destruction. How does this radical obedience lead to compassion and multiplication?
This passage reveals a profound truth about God's covenant relationship with Israel. The seemingly harsh command to destroy is the very path through which God promises mercy, compassion, and future flourishing.
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Understand the original words
cherem · Hebrew Noun
Refers to things or people set apart exclusively for God's use or for complete destruction (devoted to destruction). Once declared 'herem,' it cannot be reclaimed for common use.
charon aph · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A strong expression describing God's righteous, burning reaction against sin, rebellion, and covenant-breaking. It is not an emotional loss of control but a settled, holy opposition to evil.
rachamim · Hebrew Noun
Divine favor extended to those who do not deserve it; it involves the withholding of deserved judgment and the active provision of grace and forgiveness.
This passage describes the aftermath of Achan hoarding 'devoted things' after the defeat at Ai, directly linking the possession of accursed items to God's anger and later showing that removal of such things leads to the Lord turning from His anger.
Leviticus 26:40-42This passage speaks of God's faithfulness to His covenant promises, even when His people confess their iniquity and are chastened, showing that confession and repentance can lead to remembrance and restoration, mirroring the outcome described in Deuteronomy.
Psalm 106:43-45This psalm recounts Israel's repeated failures and God's persistent mercy, illustrating how God 'relented' and showed compassion for His people's sake, even after they acted wickedly, echoing the conditional mercy promised in Deuteronomy.
Jeremiah 2:10-12This prophetic passage highlights the severe judgment that should fall on nations who change their gods, contrasting their supposed steadfastness with Israel's abandonment of the true God, reinforcing the seriousness of idolatry and the righteousness of judgment.
calvinDeuteronomy 13:12-17: "If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying,"
And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again.
Atque omnia spolia ejus congregabis in medio plateae ejus, et combures igni urbem ipsam et omnia spolia ejus prorsus Jeh…
clarkeDeuteronomy 13:17: "And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers;"
And there shall cleave naught of the cursed thing - As God did not permit them to take the spoils of these idolatrous cities, they could be under no temptation to make war upon them. It could only be done through a merely religious motive, in obedien…
The verse promises that God's mercy and multiplication will follow their obedience, not in spite of the severe judgment, but because of it. This highlights that God's blessing isn't just after our obedience, but often because we’ve purged what He hates, showing His faithfulness to His promises.
This passage comes after instructions on how to deal with individuals or even entire cities within Israel that have turned to idolatry. After a thorough investigation to confirm the offense, the entire city and all its possessions are to be utterly destroyed and burned, with nothing left to be kept or used by the people. This severe command is followed by the reminder that the Israelites must ensure none of the "devoted things" – the accursed property – are kept for themselves, lest God’s fierce anger remain and prevent them from receiving His promised mercy and multiplication.
This passage comes after instructions on how to deal with individuals or even entire cities within Israel that have turned to idolatry. After a thorough investigation to confirm the offense, the entire city and all its possessions are to be utterly destroyed and burned, with nothing left to be kept or used by the people. This severe command is followed by the reminder that the Israelites must ensure none of the "devoted things" – the accursed property – are kept for themselves, lest God’s fierce anger remain and prevent them from receiving His promised mercy and multiplication.
"None of the devoted things shall stick to your hand, that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger and show you mercy and have compassion on you and multiply you, as he swore to your fathers," — The verse promises that God's mercy and multiplication will follow their obedience, not in spite of the severe judgment, but because of it. This highlights that God's blessing isn't just after our…
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Last reviewed October 2026
