What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 3:6? We devoted them to destruction Moses recalls how Israel, under God’s direct command, placed the cities of Bashan under the ḥerem—total destruction dedicated to the Lord (Deuteronomy 3:6: “We devoted them to destruction”). • This act was not random violence but obedience to God’s judicial sentence on an irredeemably wicked culture (Genesis 15:16; Deuteronomy 9:5). • The ḥerem principle protected Israel from being drawn into idolatry and moral corruption (Deuteronomy 7:2–4; Exodus 23:33). • God’s holiness requires that sin be judged; here He uses Israel as His instrument just as later He will use Assyria and Babylon to judge Israel (Isaiah 10:5–7; Habakkuk 1:6). as we had done to Sihon king of Heshbon The phrase ties this victory to the earlier conquest over Sihon (Numbers 21:21–31; Deuteronomy 2:30–34). • By reminding Israel of Sihon’s defeat, Moses underscores God’s consistent faithfulness and power (Joshua 24:8). • These linked victories form a pattern: when Israel trusts and obeys, God grants triumph (Psalm 44:1–3). • The repetition also reassures the next generation that entering Canaan is not a gamble; God’s past actions guarantee future success (Deuteronomy 31:6; Romans 15:4). utterly destroying the men, women, and children of every city This hard statement confronts modern readers, yet: • It reflects a decisive, once-for-all judgment on cultures steeped in idolatry, child sacrifice, and sexual perversion (Leviticus 18:24–30; Deuteronomy 12:29–31). • Scripture emphasizes God’s patience before judgment; centuries passed before this verdict fell (2 Peter 3:9; Romans 2:4–5). • Total destruction prevented survivors from re-establishing practices that would entice Israel away from covenant faithfulness (Deuteronomy 20:16–18; 1 Kings 11:4–8). • The action foreshadows the final, comprehensive judgment God will execute against all evil, vindicating His holiness and protecting His redeemed people (Revelation 19:11–16; 21:8). summary Deuteronomy 3:6 records Israel’s obedience in carrying out God’s righteous judgment on Bashan. The verse links the victory to earlier conquests, testifying to God’s unwavering faithfulness. Though sobering, the total destruction displays God’s holiness, reveals His patience before judgment, and safeguards His covenant people from corruption, pointing ultimately to the final triumph of God’s justice. |
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