The Meaning of Deuteronomy 20:13 Explained

Deuteronomy 20:13

KJV: And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:

YLT: and Jehovah thy God hath given it into thy hand, and thou hast smitten every male of it by the mouth of the sword.

Darby: and when Jehovah thy God delivereth it into thy hand, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:

ASV: and when Jehovah thy God delivereth it into thy hand, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when the LORD  thy God  hath delivered  it into thine hands,  thou shalt smite  every male  thereof with the edge  of the sword: 

What does Deuteronomy 20:13 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 20

1  The priest's exhortation to encourage the people to battle
5  The officers' proclamation of who are to be dismissed from the war
10  How to use the cities that accept or refuse the proclamation of peace
16  What cities must be devoted
19  Trees must not be destroyed in the siege

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 20:13 mean?

And when delivers it Yahweh your God into your hands and you shall strike - every male in it with the edge of the sword
וּנְתָנָ֛הּ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְהִכִּיתָ֥ אֶת־ כָּל־ זְכוּרָ֖הּ לְפִי־ חָֽרֶב

וּנְתָנָ֛הּ  And  when  delivers  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ  into  your  hands 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וְהִכִּיתָ֥  and  you  shall  strike 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
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.
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
זְכוּרָ֖הּ  male  in  it 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: זְכוּר 
Sense: male.
לְפִי־  with  the  edge 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
חָֽרֶב  of  the  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.