² and when the Lord your God has delivered^(A) them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy^(B) them totally.^[a](C) Make no treaty^(D) with them, and show them no mercy.^(E)

¹⁵ you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. You must destroy it completely,^[a](A) both its people and its livestock.^{(B) 16} You are to gather all the plunder of the town into the middle of the public square and completely burn the town^(C) and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God.^(D) That town is to remain a ruin^(E) forever, never to be rebuilt, ¹⁷ and none of the condemned things^[b] are to be found in your hands. Then the Lord will turn from his fierce anger,^(F) will show you mercy,^(G) and will have compassion^(H) on you. He will increase your numbers,^(I) as he promised^(J) on oath to your ancestors—

¹⁶ However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes.^(A)