Deuteronomy 20:16
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This isn't just about a brutal act of war; it’s about a radical separation necessary for Israel's spiritual purity. The instruction to "save alive nothing that breathes" specifically targets the people of these nations within their cities, not the animals, as a safeguard against their pervasive idolatry and corrupting practices that God knew would infect and destroy Israel from within.
But in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This command appears in the context of instructions for warfare. Previously, Moses detailed how Israel should offer peace to distant cities before attacking, and deal with those closer to home. This specific verse shifts focus to the Canaanite nations, who were given to Israel as an inheritance, outlining a starkly different, uncompromising approach for their cities. The reasoning behind this severity is rooted in the severe wickedness of these peoples and God's command for their complete eradication to prevent Israel from falling into similar idolatrous practices.
This verse is shocking. It commands the complete annihilation of entire peoples. How can a loving God order such destruction?
The command in Deuteronomy 20:16 is not a suggestion or a human decision; it is a direct, divine mandate.
A Judge's Sentence
God's judgment on the Canaanites had been long in coming. For centuries, these nations had practiced extreme wickedness – idolatry, sexual immorality, and even child sacrifice. Their sin had reached a point where their destruction was not only just but necessary to preserve the moral fabric of Israel and the land itself.
Protecting the Inheritance
Israel was inheriting the land, but it was also inheriting a spiritual battlefield. Allowing the corrupting practices of the Canaanites to remain would have inevitably led Israel astray. This extreme measure was preventative – a drastic surgery to save the whole body of God's people from a fatal infection.
The wording 'nothing that breathes' sounds absolute. Does this truly include every man, woman, child, and even animal?
The phrase 'nothing that breathes' in this context refers specifically to human life. While shocking, the primary intent was the eradication of the people who practiced the abominable sins.
The Target: Human Iniquity
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Scholars point out that the Hebrew phrase often emphasizes 'any breath' or 'any living soul,' specifically meaning human beings. The context from surrounding verses and other parts of Deuteronomy clarifies that this command was about cleansing the land of its corrupt inhabitants, not necessarily every living creature.
Practical Application
While the command to exterminate the Canaanites was specific to Israel's unique historical and redemptive role, it highlights the seriousness of sin and the importance of holiness. It was a stark warning against allowing sin to fester and corrupt God's people.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of the one true God of Israel, revealing His holiness, self-existence, and faithfulness to His people. It signifies the God who entered into a personal, binding relationship with Israel.
nachalah · Hebrew Noun
A portion or possession received by divine gift or promise. In the Old Testament, it refers primarily to the land of Canaan given by God to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
This passage directly echoes the command from Deuteronomy, explaining that God Himself hardened the hearts of the Canaanite peoples to resist Israel, ensuring their complete destruction and fulfilling God's command.
Deuteronomy 7:1-2This passage provides the 'why' behind such a severe command, emphasizing that the Canaanite nations were to be utterly destroyed to prevent Israel from adopting their detestable practices and turning away from God.
Exodus 23:31-33Here, God lays out the ultimate goal of this policy: the Canaanites were not to be allowed to remain in the land, lest their gods and their ways become a snare to Israel, leading them into sin.
Genesis 15:16This verse pre-announces the future judgment of the Canaanites, stating that the Israelites would return after 400 years, as the iniquity of the Amorites (a major Canaanite group) had not yet reached its full measure.
gillDeuteronomy 20:16: "But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:"
But of the cities of those people, which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance,.... The cities of the seven nations, six of which are mentioned by name in the next verse: thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth; the reason of this severity was because of their wickedness, the capital crimes and gross abominations they w…
calvinDeuteronomy 20:10-18: "When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it."
But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself: and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the Lord thy God hath given thee.
Tantum mulieres, et parvulos, et animalia, et quicquid fuerit in urbe, omnia spolia ejus praedaberis tibi: comedesque spolia inimicorum tuorum, quos dederit…
This isn't just about a brutal act of war; it’s about a radical separation necessary for Israel's spiritual purity. The instruction to "save alive nothing that breathes" specifically targets the people of these nations within their cities, not the animals, as a safeguard against their pervasive idolatry and corrupting practices that God knew would infect and destroy Israel from within.
This command appears in the context of instructions for warfare. Previously, Moses detailed how Israel should offer peace to distant cities before attacking, and deal with those closer to home. This specific verse shifts focus to the Canaanite nations, who were given to Israel as an inheritance, outlining a starkly different, uncompromising approach for their cities. The reasoning behind this severity is rooted in the severe wickedness of these peoples and God's command for their complete eradication to prevent Israel from falling into similar idolatrous practices.
This command appears in the context of instructions for warfare. Previously, Moses detailed how Israel should offer peace to distant cities before attacking, and deal with those closer to home. This specific verse shifts focus to the Canaanite nations, who were given to Israel as an inheritance, outlining a starkly different, uncompromising approach for their cities. The reasoning behind this severity is rooted in the severe wickedness of these peoples and God's command for their complete eradication to prevent Israel from falling into similar idolatrous practices.
"But in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes," — This isn't just about a brutal act of war; it’s about a radical separation necessary for Israel's spiritual purity. The instruction to "save alive nothing that breathes" specifically targets the peop…
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Last reviewed October 2026
