Deuteronomy 2:34
And we captured all his cities at that time and devoted to destruction every city, men, women, and children. We left no survivors.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just a grim account of conquest; it reveals that the complete devastation of every city, including its inhabitants, was a specific, divinely mandated act. This total destruction, known in Hebrew as "devotion to destruction," was a religious practice reserved for nations whose wickedness had reached its fullness, a holy act to cleanse the land.
The Israelites are retelling their journey, recounting how God gave them victory over Sihon, king of the Amorites, who refused them passage and attacked. After God delivered Sihon and his army into their hands, the Israelites conquered all his cities and devoted every person—men, women, and children—to utter destruction as an act of obedience and judgment. This decisive victory opened up the land east of the Jordan for Israel to inhabit, preparing them for the conquest of Canaan.
Ever wondered how God can command such fierce judgment? This verse doesn't just describe an event; it reveals a divine plan.
The text here in Deuteronomy isn't a casual account of conquest. It's part of a much larger narrative where God is actively working out His purposes. Sihon the Amorite and his land were explicitly given to Israel by God.
A Divine Decree
The word 'devoted' carries a weight we can't ignore. What does it truly mean when a city is 'devoted to destruction'?
The action taken against Sihon's cities wasn't just military annihilation; it was a specific religious act called the 'devotion' or 'ban' (Hebrew: cherem).
What is the Devotion?
Understand the original words
charam · Hebrew Verb
The theological concept of 'herem' or total destruction, where a city or people are set apart exclusively for God's judgment and therefore must be completely destroyed to prevent moral and religious corruption.
This act of complete annihilation, though shocking to modern sensibilities, was understood by ancient Israelites as a divinely ordained judgment upon the Amorites for their extreme wickedness. The concept of 'herem' (devotion to destruction) signified that the land itself was being purified before its possession by Israel.
c. 1400 BC
Israelites Wander in Wilderness
After their exodus from Egypt, the Israelites spent approximately 40 years wandering in the Sinai wilderness. This period was marked by God's provision and judgment, as they journeyed toward the Promised Land.
c. 1300 BC
Israel Requests Passage from Sihon
As the Israelites approached the territory of the Amorites, they sent peaceful messengers to King Sihon of Heshbon, requesting permission to pass through his land on the public road.
c. 1300 BC
Sihon Refuses Passage and Attacks
King Sihon not only refused Israel passage but gathered his people and marched out to attack them in the wilderness. This aggression prompted a divine command for Israel to fight and take his land.
c. 1300 BC
Israel Defeats Sihon's Army
The Lord delivered Sihon and his army into Israel's hands. The Israelites struck them down, killing Sihon, his sons, and all his people.
This passage describes the destruction of Jericho, a similar act of devoting a city and its inhabitants to utter destruction as described in Deuteronomy, highlighting the religious significance of such actions.
Leviticus 27:28This verse defines the concept of 'devoted things' (herem in Hebrew), which are things utterly destroyed or set apart for God, providing the theological basis for the actions taken against Sihon's cities.
1 Samuel 15:3This passage records God's command to Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites, mirroring the severity and divine mandate behind the destruction of Sihon's cities, even though Saul's obedience was flawed.
Deuteronomy 7:1-2This passage directly commands Israel to devote to destruction the seven nations living in Canaan, providing a broader context for why such extreme measures were taken against peoples deemed wicked and idolatrous.
bensonDeuteronomy 2:34: "And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain:"
Deuteronomy 2:34 . Utterly destroyed — By God’s command, these being a part of those people who were devoted by the Lord of life and death to utter destruction for their abominable wickedness.
gillDeuteronomy 2:34: "And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain:"
And we took all his cities at that time,.... As Heshbon, and others mentioned in Numbers 21:25 , and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones of every city, we left none to remain; for the Amorites were one of the seven nations who were devoted to destruction, the measure of whose iniquity was now full, and th…
This verse isn't just a grim account of conquest; it reveals that the complete devastation of every city, including its inhabitants, was a specific, divinely mandated act. This total destruction, known in Hebrew as "devotion to destruction," was a religious practice reserved for nations whose wickedness had reached its fullness, a holy act to cleanse the land.
The Israelites are retelling their journey, recounting how God gave them victory over Sihon, king of the Amorites, who refused them passage and attacked. After God delivered Sihon and his army into their hands, the Israelites conquered all his cities and devoted every person—men, women, and children—to utter destruction as an act of obedience and judgment. This decisive victory opened up the land east of the Jordan for Israel to inhabit, preparing them for the conquest of Canaan.
The Israelites are retelling their journey, recounting how God gave them victory over Sihon, king of the Amorites, who refused them passage and attacked. After God delivered Sihon and his army into their hands, the Israelites conquered all his cities and devoted every person—men, women, and children—to utter destruction as an act of obedience and judgment. This decisive victory opened up the land east of the Jordan for Israel to inhabit, preparing them for the conquest of Canaan.
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c. 1300 BC— this verse
Israel Captures Amorite Cities
Following their victory over Sihon, the Israelites captured all his cities, from Aroer to the Arnon River, and settled in the land of the Amorites.
c. 1300 BC
Devotion to Destruction (Herem)
In accordance with God's command, every city captured from Sihon was devoted to destruction ('herem'). This meant the complete extermination of all inhabitants—men, women, and children—with no survivors left.
"And we captured all his cities at that time and devoted to destruction every city, men, women, and children. We left no survivors." — This verse isn't just a grim account of conquest; it reveals that the complete devastation of every city, including its inhabitants, was a specific, divinely mandated act. This total destruction, kno…
