Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 3:6
We devoted them to destruction, as we had done to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children of every city.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses addresses Israel on the plains of Moab, recounting the immediate aftermath of the campaign against Og king of Bashan.
The words — The verse centers on וַנַּחֲרֵם (va.na.cha.Rem) and הַחֲרֵם (ha.cha.Rem), both translating to "we devoted to destruction" or "totally destroyed," applied to the inhabitants of Og's conquered cities.
The thread — The text explicitly links this action to the earlier destruction of Sihon king of Heshbon's population in Deuteronomy 2:34, a pattern of complete judgment also noted in Psalms 135:10.
Why it lands — The text states that every man, woman, and child in Og's cities was completely removed, establishing a precedent that divine warfare here demands total eradication rather than territorial acquisition or preservation.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every city.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 2:34 At that time we captured all his cities and devoted to destruction the people of every city, including women and children. We left no survivors.
- Deuteronomy 2:24 “Arise, set out, and cross the Arnon Valley. See, I have delivered into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle.
- Psalms 135:10 He struck down many nations and slaughtered mighty kings:
- Leviticus 27:28 Nothing that a man sets apart to the LORD from all he owns—whether a man, an animal, or his inherited land—can be sold or redeemed; everything so devoted is most holy to the LORD.
- Numbers 21:2 So Israel made a vow to the LORD: “If You will deliver this people into our hands, we will devote their cities to destruction.”
- Deuteronomy 3:2 But the LORD said to me, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, along with all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.”
- Deuteronomy 20:16 However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes.
- Joshua 11:14 The Israelites took for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but they put all the people to the sword until they had completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone who breathed.
- Psalms 136:19 Sihon king of the Amorites His loving devotion endures forever.