Deuteronomy 20:16

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

But in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

רַ֗ק מֵעָרֵ֤י הָֽעַמִּים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַחֲלָ֑ה לֹ֥א תְחַיֶּ֖ה כָּל־נְשָׁמָֽה׃

Transliteration

Only from-ʿārê the-ʿammîm these, which YHWH ʾĕlōhêḵā nōtēn to-you naḥălāh, not tĕḥayyeh any-nĕšāmāh.

Grammar Details

• *raq*: adverb - only/surely
• *mē-ʿārê*: preposition + feminine plural construct - from cities of
• *hā-ʿammîm*: definite article + masculine plural noun - the peoples
• *hāʾēlleh*: definite article + demonstrative pronoun - these
• *ʾăšer*: relative pronoun - which
• *YHWH*: divine name - LORD
• *ʾĕlōhêḵā*: masculine plural noun + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your God
• *nōtēn*: qal participle masculine singular - giving
• *lĕḵā*: preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - to you
• *naḥălāh*: feminine singular noun - inheritance
• *lōʾ*: negative particle - not
• *tĕḥayyeh*: piel imperfect 2nd person masculine singular - you shall let live
• *kol-nĕšāmāh*: construct + feminine singular noun - any breathing thing

Word Meanings

• *ʿārê*: cities of/towns of
• *ʿammîm*: peoples/nations/tribes
• *nōtēn*: giving/granting/providing
• *naḥălāh*: inheritance/possession/property
• *tĕḥayyeh*: let live/preserve alive/spare
• *nĕšāmāh*: breathing thing/living being/soul

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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:

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  But of the cities of these people, which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes:

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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:

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  But of the cities{H5892} of these peoples,{H5971} that Jehovah{H3068} thy God{H430} giveth{H5414} thee for an inheritance,{H5159} thou shalt save alive{H2421} nothing that breatheth;{H5397}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  But of the cities{H5892} of these people{H5971}, which the LORD{H3068} thy God{H430} doth give{H5414}{(H8802)} thee for an inheritance{H5159}, thou shalt save alive{H2421}{(H8762)} nothing that breatheth{H5397}:

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  But in the cities of these nacions which the Lorde thy God geueth the to enheret, thou shalt saue alyue nothinge that bretheth.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  But in the cities of these nacions, which the LORDE thy God shall geue the to enheritauce, thou shalt leaue nothinge alyue that hath breth,

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  But of the cities of this people, which the Lorde thy God shall giue thee to inherite, thou shalt saue no person aliue,

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  But of the cities of these nations which the Lorde thy God shall geue thee to inherite, thou shalt saue alyue nothyng that breatheth:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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:

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  But of the cities of these peoples, that Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes;

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  `Only, of the cities of these peoples which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee `for' an inheritance, thou dost not keep alive any breathing;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But of the cities of these peoples, that Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But of the cities of these peoples, that Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth;

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  But in the towns of these peoples whose land the Lord your God is giving you for your heritage, let no living thing be kept from death:

• World English Bible (2000)

  But of the cities of these peoples, that Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes;

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Laws Concerning War with Canaanite Nations As for the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is going to give you as an inheritance, you must not allow a single living thing to survive.

Referenced Verses

• Josh 11:14 : 14 The Israelites took all the plunder and livestock of these cities for themselves, but they killed all the people with the sword, completely destroying them and leaving no survivors.
• Num 21:2-3 : 2 Then Israel made a vow to the LORD, saying, 'If You indeed deliver this people into our hands, we will completely destroy their cities.' 3 The LORD listened to Israel’s request and gave the Canaanites into their hands. They utterly destroyed them and their cities, and the place was called Hormah.
• Num 33:52 : 52 you must drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you, destroy all their stone images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places.
• Deut 7:1-4 : 1 When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of, and He drives out many nations before you—the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites—seven nations more numerous and stronger than you, 2 and when the LORD your God delivers them over to you and you defeat them, you must devote them to complete destruction. Do not make a covenant with them or show them any mercy. 3 Do not intermarry with them: do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, 4 because they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods. Then the LORD's anger will burn against you, and He will quickly destroy you.
• Deut 7:16 : 16 You shall destroy all the nations the LORD your God is giving over to you. Do not look on them with pity, and do not serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you.
• Josh 6:17-21 : 17 The city and all within it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and those with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers we sent. 18 But you must keep yourselves from taking any of the things devoted to destruction; otherwise, you will bring destruction upon the camp of Israel and trouble it. 19 All the silver, gold, bronze, and iron are holy to the LORD and must go into His treasury. 20 When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted. At the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a great shout, the wall collapsed. Each person charged straight in, and they captured the city. 21 They devoted to destruction everything in the city—men and women, young and old, as well as oxen, sheep, and donkeys—by the edge of the sword.
• Josh 9:24 : 24 They answered Joshua, 'Your servants were clearly told how the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you this entire land and destroy all its inhabitants before you. So we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this.'
• Josh 9:27 : 27 On that day, Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly and for the altar of the LORD at the place He would choose. And they continue to do so to this day.
• Josh 10:28 : 28 That same day, Joshua captured Makkedah and put it to the sword, along with its king. He completely destroyed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. He treated the king of Makkedah as he had treated the king of Jericho.
• Josh 10:40 : 40 So Joshua conquered the whole country—the hill country, the Negev, the lowland, and the slopes—along with all their kings. He left no survivors but devoted every living thing to destruction, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded.
• Josh 11:11-12 : 11 They struck down everyone in the city with the sword, completely destroying them. Not a single living thing was left, and Joshua burned Hazor with fire. 12 Joshua captured all the cities of these kings and their kings as well. He struck them down with the sword and completely destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded.
• Num 21:35 : 35 So they struck down Og, his sons, and all his people, leaving no survivors. Then they took possession of his land.
• Exod 23:31-33 : 31 I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates River. I will give into your hands the inhabitants of the land, and you will drive them out before you. 32 Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. 33 They must not live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against me, because if you worship their gods, it will become a snare to you.