Deuteronomy 20:15

15 Thus shalt thou do to all the cities that are very far off from thee, not of the cities of these nations which the Lord thy God gives thee to inherit their land.

Deuteronomy 20:15 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 20:15

Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off
from thee
As all such were reckoned that were without the land of Israel, even all in their neighbouring nations, the Moabites, Edomites, Ammonites, Syrians for the children of Israel never went to war with any very distant nations, unless they came unto them and invaded them; nor did they seek to carry their conquests to any great distance, when the most powerful and victorious, as in the days of David and Solomon:

which are not of the cities of these nations;
of these seven nations, as the Targum of Jonathan, the seven nations of the land of Canaan; all that were not of them were accounted foreign cities, and at a distance.

Deuteronomy 20:15 In-Context

13 until the Lord thy God shall deliver it into thy hands, and thou shalt smite every male of it with the edge of the sword:

14 except the women and the stuff: and all the cattle, and whatsoever shall be in the city, and all the plunder thou shalt take as spoil for thyself, and shalt eat all the plunder of thine enemies whom the Lord thy God gives thee.

15 Thus shalt thou do to all the cities that are very far off from thee, not of the cities of these nations which the Lord thy God gives thee to inherit their land.

16 ye shall not take any thing alive;

17 but ye shall surely curse them, the Chettite, and the Amorite, and the Chananite, and the Pherezite, and the Evite, and the Jebusite, and the Gergesite; as the Lord thy God commanded thee: