Why does this chapter prescribe total annihilation of certain nations, while other biblical texts call for mercy and justice (Deuteronomy 20:17–18)?

Historical and Cultural Context

In Deuteronomy 20:17–18, the text states: “But you must completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God.” These instructions appear harsh when placed alongside other passages that emphasize love, mercy, and justice. However, understanding the ancient Near Eastern setting illuminates the depth of the nations’ persistent and extreme idolatry, which included practices such as child sacrifice (cf. Jeremiah 7:31; 2 Kings 23:10). Numerous archaeological findings in regions once inhabited by Canaanite cultures—for example, inscriptions and sacrificial site remains uncovered in the vicinity of Carthage—further corroborate the existence of child sacrifice and ritualistic violence.

Divine Judgment on Ongoing Sin

The text presents a situation where certain nations had full knowledge of their immoral customs over many centuries. The destruction is depicted as an act of judicial severity rather than mere conquest or plunder. Passages such as Genesis 15:16 suggest that God allowed these cultures ample opportunity to turn from their practices, yet they continued. Once their iniquity reached a threshold, their judgment was enacted through the means described in Deuteronomy 20.

God’s instructions to Israel were not about ethnic hatred but were focused on eradicating specific, destructive religious practices that Israel was warned never to adopt. The imperative “destroy them” was not disconnected from the moral reality of the people’s deep corruption; rather, it functioned to prevent Israel from being ensnared in the same detestable rituals.

God’s Righteousness and Mercy in Biblical Perspective

Throughout Scripture, God consistently reveals Himself as “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and truth” (Exodus 34:6). When the inhabitants of Nineveh repented at Jonah’s preaching, God spared them (Jonah 3:10). This demonstrates that divine forbearance is always extended when people turn to Him.

Meanwhile, so-called “holy war” instructions in Deuteronomy 20 are tied to a unique context in Israel’s redemptive history. They highlight judgment against entrenched wickedness and protect the emerging covenant people. Other biblical texts emphasize mercy: for instance, Israel was commanded to show kindness to foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:19) and to pursue justice (Deuteronomy 16:20). The tension between these commands and Deuteronomy 20 is resolved when one sees that the nations in question persistently engaged in extreme transgressions and refused repentance.

Unique Role and Theological Purpose

These events are not generalized commands to be applied indiscriminately. Instead, Israel’s task was unique and specific, guided by God’s revelation for a distinct point in history. As the covenant people, Israel’s identity was intertwined with upholding justice and holiness so that a nation on the verge of inheriting the Promised Land could remain set apart. God’s larger plan, culminating in a universal call to salvation, included using Israel’s history to demonstrate both His righteousness and His grace.

Balance of Justice and Love

Biblical justice, including the necessity at times for severe judgment, does not contradict God’s love. Passages highlighting mercy (e.g., Zechariah 7:9–10) show divine compassion, yet do not negate the reality that persistent wickedness invites judgment. A similar truth appears later in the biblical narrative regarding Babylon, Assyria, and others who faced divine consequences for unrelenting sin.

Archaeological and Scholarly Corroborations

• Excavations in places associated with Canaanite cultures have uncovered stark evidence of child sacrifice, which verifies the gravity of the moral decay (e.g., skeletal remains in urns consistent with sacrificial rites).

• Ancient Near Eastern texts, some housed in museum collections, depict religious practices involving ritualized immorality and violence.

• Scholarly studies by various experts in ancient Near Eastern history outline the normalization of brutal rites among many of these polytheistic groups.

These findings help illustrate why scriptural passages sometimes present severe judgments. The moral and social practices among these cultures posed a deep threat to Israel’s covenant relationship with God.

Preserving a Redemptive Line

One overarching reason for these instructions was to preserve a people from whom ultimate spiritual salvation would be revealed. The scriptural storyline points to a redemptive plan, culminating in the Messiah. Ensuring the purity of Israel’s worship, and thus preventing them from assimilating these destructive customs, was essential for the fulfillment of the promise to bless all nations (Genesis 12:3).

Practical Reflections

Readers often struggle with the command to “completely destroy” when contrasted with frequent biblical exhortations to justice and mercy. Although difficult, the severity demonstrates the seriousness of idolatry’s corruption and the lengths to which God went to protect and shape a covenant community, through whom His redemptive message would ultimately go out to the world.

These passages highlight the tension between divine holiness and human sin, underscoring that God’s patience has boundaries. Yet, we also see that God’s mercy remains available for those who sincerely repent, as exemplified in countless other biblical narratives.

Conclusion

Deuteronomy’s call for total annihilation of certain nations occurs in a very specific setting of hardened idolatry. The text shows God act in perfect justice toward those who persist in destructive behaviors and in mercy toward those who turn from them. The broader scriptural context consistently points to a God who desires repentance rather than destruction (Ezekiel 33:11), but who does administer judgment when evil reaches its fullness.

In harmonizing passages that emphasize mercy and justice, one sees that a holy God must oppose evil, yet He offers grace freely to all who turn from their sinful practices. This difficult episode in Israel’s history serves as both a warning against unrepentant idolatry and a reminder of the righteous, merciful character at the heart of the scriptural narrative.