12 “If you hear in one of your cities, which the Lord your God is giving you to live in, anyone saying that

13 some worthless men have gone out from among you and have seduced the inhabitants of their city, saying, ‘aLet us go and serve other gods’ (whom you have not known),

14 then you shall investigate and search out and inquire thoroughly. If it is true and the matter established that this abomination has been done among you,

15 ayou shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, 1utterly destroying it and all that is in it and its cattle with the edge of the sword.

16 “aThen you shall gather all its booty into the middle of its open square and burn the city and all its booty with fire as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God; and it shall be a 1bruin forever. It shall never be rebuilt.

17 “Nothing from that which is put under the ban shall cling to your hand, in order that the Lord may turn from aHis burning anger and bshow mercy to you, and have compassion on you and cmake you increase, just das He has sworn to your fathers,