Deuteronomy 20:13

WEB

and when the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, you shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword:

KJV

And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:

Commentary

And when the Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine hands,.... When, what with pressures without, and calamities within, the city is ob liged to surrender: this is not to be imputed to the methods and arts of war used in besieging, or to the courage and skill of the besiegers; but to the power and providence of God succeeding means used, and sending famine or pestilence among the besieged, and inclining their hearts to deliver up their city: thou shall smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword; the men in it, grown persons, as distinguished from little ones in the next verse; because it was owing to these it was not surrendered at once, when terms of peace were offered.