Deuteronomy 20:16 Meaning: The Command to Spare No One
But of the cities of these peoples that Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes;
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 these peoples, that Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth;
`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;
But of the cities of these peoples which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth,
Meaning in one sentence
Deuteronomy 20:16 meaning: a difficult Old Testament command to destroy the Canaanites.
Context
Deuteronomy 20 gives instructions for war as Israel prepared to enter Canaan. The chapter draws a clear line between distant cities and the cities within the land God was giving as an inheritance. For distant cities, the rules were more lenient: offer peace, and if they surrendered, make them laborers; if they resisted, kill the men but spare women, children, and livestock. But for the Canaanite nations, the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, and others, the command was absolute. Nothing that breathed was to be left alive. The reason appears in verse 18: to prevent Israel from learning the abominations of these peoples and sinning against God. This is not a general command for all warfare. It is tied to a specific time, place, and purpose. The land itself was holy ground, and the people who would inhabit it were called to be distinct.
Key Words
Two Hebrew words carry the weight of what this verse asks. The verb behind “you shall save alive” comes from chayah, which normally means to live, sustain life, or let someone remain alive. Here it is negated: you are not to let live. The command is total, no exceptions. The second word is neshamah, often translated “breath” or “breathing thing.” It echoes Genesis 2:7, where God breathed the breath of life into Adam. Every creature made for relationship with God is covered, but many commentators note that here it refers specifically to human beings. The word nachalah (“inheritance”) also matters. The land is not earned; it is given. What God gives, He guards. The severity of the command underscores how serious He is about protecting the purity of that gift.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this verse with care. Reformed commentators like Matthew Henry and John Gill emphasize that the Canaanites’ wickedness had reached a point where divine judgment was due, and God used Israel as the instrument. The Cambridge Bible notes that this strict rule reflects a core concern of Deuteronomy: to keep Israel from religious corruption. Some interpreters across traditions see this as a unique historical command, not a pattern for later warfare. God, the Judge of all the earth, gave specific directions for a specific people at a specific time. Many traditions agree that this does not justify violence in any other context. Jewish and Christian scholars alike wrestle with the moral weight, yet point to the broader biblical story: God’s judgment always serves His redemptive purposes.
A common misunderstanding
A common misunderstanding is that this verse commands all believers to show no mercy or to justify religious violence against enemies. In fact, the command is strictly limited to the seven Canaanite nations in the land given as an inheritance. The reason given is not ethnic hatred but the prevention of idolatry that would lead Israel away from God. The New Testament teaches a different posture: love enemies, pray for persecutors, and trust God to judge. This is a historical judgment on a specific people, not a template for personal or national conduct.
Main takeaway: God’s command to remove the Canaanites reveals the seriousness of sin and His determination to protect His people from anything that would draw them away from Him.
Questions People Ask
Is this verse a command for genocide?
The verse describes a divinely ordered destruction of the Canaanite nations within the land God gave Israel. The term 'genocide' carries modern legal and moral meanings that do not fully apply to this ancient, specific context. Christians have understood it as an act of divine judgment on a culture whose evil practices had reached a point where God determined to remove them. It is not a command for all peoples or all times.
Why were the Canaanites singled out for total destruction?
The surrounding context (especially verse 18) gives the reason: to keep Israel from learning the abominations of these nations and sinning against God. The Canaanites practiced forms of idolatry that included child sacrifice and ritual prostitution (see Leviticus 18 and Deuteronomy 12). God judged them for their wickedness and used Israel as His instrument. The command was also meant to protect the purity of the land that was an inheritance from God.
Does 'nothing that breathes' include animals?
Several commentators, including Keil and Delitzsch, argue that the phrase refers to human beings alone, not animals. The parallel texts in Joshua (e.g., Joshua 10:40, 11:11) show that animals were often taken as plunder. So the command applies to every person in these cities, not livestock.
How do Christians today reconcile this command with a God of love?
Many Christians see this as part of the Old Testament theocracy where God directly governed Israel's national life. The command is a one-time judgment on a specific culture, not a pattern for all relationships. The same God who judges sin also provides redemption through Christ. In the New Testament, God's people are called to a different kind of warfare: spiritual, not physical. Love and mercy remain central.
Can this verse be applied to modern situations like war or church discipline?
No. The command is explicitly limited to the Canaanite nations at a particular historical moment. The New Testament does not teach Christians to take up the sword against unbelievers. Church discipline (e.g., 1 Corinthians 5) involves separation from fellowship, not physical harm. Applying this verse to modern warfare or personal relationships misreads its purpose.
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