Deuteronomy 20:17
but you shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the LORD your God has commanded,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This command isn't just about physical eradication; it's about destroying the influence of these nations. By utterly destroying them, the Israelites were meant to prevent those nations from teaching them their "abominations," thereby keeping them from sinning against God.
This passage is part of a larger section outlining rules for warfare, distinguishing between cities outside the promised land and those within it. While prior verses permitted sparing inhabitants of distant cities and even those who surrendered, this specific command addresses the Canaanite nations occupying the land God was giving Israel. The verses immediately following will further explain why these particular nations required complete destruction.
Why did God command the complete destruction of the Canaanites, a command that seems so harsh and unlike His character of love?
This command in Deuteronomy 20:17 is not about random violence, but a specific, divinely ordained judgment on the Canaanite nations.
A Moral Plague
God had patiently endured the rampant wickedness and abominable practices of these nations for centuries. Their corruption had reached a point where it posed a severe threat to the spiritual and moral well-being of His chosen people.
God's Vengeance Executed
Israel was called to be the instrument of God's justice, not out of hatred, but obedience. This was a unique historical moment, a cleansing of the land before Israel fully took possession. The command to 'utterly destroy' them meant eradicating them as a distinct people to prevent their corrupting influence from ensnaring the Israelites in idolatry and immorality. It was about preserving the purity of the covenant people and the land God had consecrated.
What does it mean for something or someone to be devoted to complete destruction, or 'devoted to the ban'?
The Hebrew word translated 'utterly destroy' signifies something set apart for God's dedicated use, in this context, for complete destruction. This is the 'herem' (often translated as 'ban').
Not Personal Vengeance
The 'herem' was not about the Israelites personally profiting or seeking revenge. It was a solemn, sacred act of judgment, removing anything or anyone under the ban from the world of the living, dedicating it entirely to God's judgment.
The Scope of the Command
While the command was severe, scholarly understanding suggests nuances. It primarily referred to the destruction of these nations as a political and religious entity, and their irreconcilable opposition to God's plan. Exceptions were made, like the Gibeonites and Rahab, often on terms of submission or conversion, indicating that political and national extermination was the core, not necessarily the killing of every single individual if they submitted or were integrated under specific conditions.
Understand the original words
cherem · Hebrew Noun
A term referring to the act of dedicating something or someone entirely to God. In the context of war, it involved the total destruction of an enemy and their possessions as an act of holy judgment to prevent idolatrous influence.
This passage directly reiterates the command to utterly destroy the nations in the Promised Land, framing it as God giving them over to Israel for destruction.
Joshua 6:17This verse shows the principle of 'devoting to destruction' in action at Jericho, where everything was set apart for the Lord, implying utter destruction of the inhabitants and possessions.
1 Samuel 15:3Here, Saul is explicitly commanded by God to go and strike down the Amalekites, devoting them to destruction, which serves as a precedent for similar commands.
Romans 9:14-18Paul uses the example of God's dealings with Pharaoh and the Canaanites to illustrate God's sovereign right to show mercy or harden whomever He wills, underscoring the divine authority behind such judgments.
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…
gillDeuteronomy 20:17: "But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:"
But thou shalt utterly destroy them,.... Men, women, and children: some think this is to be understood only of such cities which did not accept of terms of peace; for they are of opinion that Joshua made proclamation of peace to all the cities of Canaan; which being not complied with, he des…
This command isn't just about physical eradication; it's about destroying the influence of these nations. By utterly destroying them, the Israelites were meant to prevent those nations from teaching them their "abominations," thereby keeping them from sinning against God.
This passage is part of a larger section outlining rules for warfare, distinguishing between cities outside the promised land and those within it. While prior verses permitted sparing inhabitants of distant cities and even those who surrendered, this specific command addresses the Canaanite nations occupying the land God was giving Israel. The verses immediately following will further explain why these particular nations required complete destruction.
This passage is part of a larger section outlining rules for warfare, distinguishing between cities outside the promised land and those within it. While prior verses permitted sparing inhabitants of distant cities and even those who surrendered, this specific command addresses the Canaanite nations occupying the land God was giving Israel. The verses immediately following will further explain these particular nations required complete destruction.
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How can we reconcile God's command for total destruction with Jesus' teaching to love our enemies?
It's crucial to understand that Deuteronomy 20:17 describes a unique situation, a specific judicial act of God in history, and is not a blueprint for Christian warfare.
A Specific Historical Context
This was a judgment on the Canaanites before Israel's full inheritance of the land, a divine sentence carried out by a specific people at a specific time. It was not a blanket command for all peoples at all times.
The New Covenant Mandate
Jesus inaugurated a new covenant, shifting the focus from physical conquest to spiritual warfare and love. His command to 'love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you' (Matthew 5:44) defines the Christian ethic. While God remains sovereign and just, His method of dealing with sin and establishing His kingdom has changed. Our battles are now primarily spiritual, against 'rulers, against authorities, against powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms' (Ephesians 6:12), not physical extermination.
"but you shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the LORD your God has commanded," — This command isn't just about physical eradication; it's about destroying the influence of these nations. By utterly destroying them, the Israelites were meant to prevent those nations from teachin…
