The Meaning of Deuteronomy 13:16 Explained

Deuteronomy 13:16

KJV: And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again.

YLT: and all its spoil thou dost gather unto the midst of its broad place, and hast burned with fire the city and all its spoil completely, before Jehovah thy God, and it hath been a heap age-during, it is not built any more;

Darby: And all the spoil of it shalt thou gather into the midst of the open place thereof, and shalt burn the city with fire, and all the spoil thereof, wholly to Jehovah thy God; and it shall be a heap for ever; it shall not be built again.

ASV: And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, unto Jehovah thy God: and it shall be a heap for ever; it shall not be built again.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And thou shalt gather  all the spoil  of it into the midst  of the street  thereof, and shalt burn  with fire  the city,  and all the spoil  thereof every whit,  for the LORD  thy God:  and it shall be an heap  for ever;  it shall not be built again. 

What does Deuteronomy 13:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 13:1-18 - Cut Out The Plague Spot
How to exterminate sources of disease is a main question with the modern world; but the stamping-out of possible sources of temptation must not less energetically be pursued by each religious soul. The prophet, the beloved associate, the community, that endeavored to turn Israel aside from God, might have no mercy shown. There was no room for those liberal views, in vogue today, that smile on the greatest divergencies of belief, if only their advocates are sincere.
For ourselves the lesson is clear enough. We must dissociate ourselves from companionships, however affectionate, which exert a deleterious effect on our characters, and draw us away from God. There is only one alternative-that we should overcome evil with good and lift them to our own ideals. If that be impossible, our course is clear. Our eye must not pity, nor our hand spare. And Jesus left no other alternative. See Mark 9:42-43. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 13

1  Enticers to idolatry
6  however near to oneself
9  are to be stoned to death
12  Idolatrous cities are not to be spared

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 13:16 mean?

And all its plunder you shall gather into the middle of the street and burn with fire - the city its plunder completely for Yahweh your God and it shall be a heap forever not it shall be built again
וְאֶת־ כָּל־ שְׁלָלָ֗הּ תִּקְבֹּץ֮ אֶל־ תּ֣וֹךְ רְחֹבָהּ֒ וְשָׂרַפְתָּ֨ בָאֵ֜שׁ אֶת־ הָעִ֤יר שְׁלָלָהּ֙ כָּלִ֔יל לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְהָיְתָה֙ תֵּ֣ל עוֹלָ֔ם לֹ֥א תִבָּנֶ֖ה עֽוֹד

שְׁלָלָ֗הּ  its  plunder 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁלָל  
Sense: prey, plunder, spoil, booty.
תִּקְבֹּץ֮  you  shall  gather 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: קָבַץ  
Sense: to gather, assemble.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
תּ֣וֹךְ  the  middle 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
רְחֹבָהּ֒  of  the  street 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: רְחֹב  
Sense: broad or open place or plaza.
וְשָׂרַפְתָּ֨  and  burn 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׂרַף  
Sense: to burn.
בָאֵ֜שׁ  with  fire 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעִ֤יר  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
שְׁלָלָהּ֙  its  plunder 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁלָל  
Sense: prey, plunder, spoil, booty.
כָּלִ֔יל  completely 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כָּלִיל  
Sense: entire, all, perfect adv.
לַיהוָ֖ה  for  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְהָיְתָה֙  and  it  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
תֵּ֣ל  a  heap 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תֵּל  
Sense: mound, heap, heap of ruins.
עוֹלָ֔ם  forever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
תִבָּנֶ֖ה  it  shall  be  built 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
עֽוֹד  again 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.