Deuteronomy 13:16

16 And gather all the spoyle of it in to the myddes of the streates thereof, and burne with fire: both the citie and all the spoyle thereof euery whitte vnto the Lord thy God. And it shalbe an hepe for euer and shall not be bylt agayne.

Deuteronomy 13:16 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 13:16

And thou shall gather all the spoil of it into the midst of
the street thereof
All the wealth and substance of the inhabitants, their household goods, shop goods, merchandise, utensils in trade and business, and everything that can be named. The Jews say {p}, if there is no street, they make one (or a marketplace); if that is without it, they bring them into the midst of it:

and shall burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every
whit;
be it what it may, or let it be whose property it will; and all this shall be done for the Lord thy God; as by his appointment and command, and in obedience to him, so for his honour and glory, and the vindication of his righteous law;

and it shall be an heap for ever, it shall not be built again;
but lie a waste as Jericho, though not an entire waste; for according to the Jewish writers, though it might not be built as it was before, it might be made into gardens and orchards ^F17.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 11. sect. 6.
F17 lbid. Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.

Deuteronomy 13:16 In-Context

14 Then seke and make serche and enquere diligently. Yf it be true and the thinge of a suertie that soch abhominacion is wrought among you:

15 then thou shalt smyte the dwellers of that citie with the edge of the swerde, and destroye it mercylesse and all that is therin, and euen the very catell thereof with the edge of the swerde.

16 And gather all the spoyle of it in to the myddes of the streates thereof, and burne with fire: both the citie and all the spoyle thereof euery whitte vnto the Lord thy God. And it shalbe an hepe for euer and shall not be bylt agayne.

17 And se that their cleaue nought of the damned thinge in thine hande, that the Lorde maye turne fro his fearse wrath and shewe the mercye ad haue compassion on the and multiplye the, as he hath sworne vnto thy fathers:

18 when thou hast herkened vnto the voyce of the Lorde thy God, to kepe all his comaundmentes which I comaunde the thys daye so that thou doo that which is right in the eyes of the Lorde thy God.