Deuteronomy 7:16

You must destroy all the peoples the LORD your God will deliver to you. Do not look on them with pity. Do not worship their gods, for that will be a snare to you.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses Israel on the plains of Moab, issuing commands for the conquest of Canaan immediately after promising physical protection and before addressing fears about larger opposing nations.

The words — The Hebrew verb אָכַלְתָּ (a.khal.Ta) literally means "you will consume," directly governing כָּל־עַמִּים (kol-'a.Mim, "all the peoples") to demand total eradication. The verb נֹתֵן (no.Ten) translates as "is about to deliver up," framing the military campaign as divine provision rather than human initiative.

The thread — This directive repeats the complete destruction mandate of Deuteronomy 7:2 and parallels Exodus 23:33, which warns that surviving nations will draw Israel into idolatry. Judges 8:27 demonstrates the historical consequence of compromising with foreign religious symbols.

Why it lands — The text commands the immediate annihilation of targeted populations and their religious systems without hesitation or compassion. It requires readers to accept divine authority as the sole basis for judgment and to treat syncretism as a structural trap rather than a minor compromise.

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

וְאָכַלְתָּ֣ve./'a.khal.Taand/ you will consume אֶת־'et-<obj.>כָּל־kol-all הָֽעַמִּ֗יםha./'a.Mimthe/ peoples אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherwhich יְהוָ֤הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙'e.lo.Hei./khaGod/ your נֹתֵ֣ןno.Ten[is] about to deliver upלָ֔ךְLa/khto <the>/ youלֹא־lo'-not תָחֹ֥סta.Chosit will look with pity עֵֽינְךָ֖'ei.ne./Khaeye/ your עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם'a.lei./Hemon/ them וְלֹ֤אve./Lo'and/ not תַעֲבֹד֙ta.'a.Vodyou will serve אֶת־'et-<obj.>אֱלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם'e.Lo.hei./Hemgods/ their כִּֽי־ki-for מוֹקֵ֥שׁmo.Kesh[will be] a snare ה֖וּאhu'itלָֽךְ׃ סLa/khto <the>/ you

King James Version

And thou shalt consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.

Cross-references

Exodus 23:33 They must not remain in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”
Judges 8:27 From all this Gideon made an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his hometown. But soon all Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.
Deuteronomy 7:2 and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.
Deuteronomy 13:8 you must not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity, and do not spare him or shield him.
Deuteronomy 19:13 You must show him no pity. You are to purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, that it may go well with you.
Deuteronomy 19:21 You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.
Deuteronomy 25:12 you are to cut off her hand. You must show her no pity.
1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Exodus 34:12 Be careful not to make a treaty with the inhabitants of the land you are entering, lest they become a snare in your midst.
Psalms 106:36 They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.