Grammar Analysis: Deuteronomy 20:10–18 (Two-Tier War Law)

Passage Overview

Deut 20:10–18 is a bipartite military-casuistic statute with two parallel protases governed by the exclusive-restrictive adverb רַק ("only/however"). The structural seam is at v.15 ↔ v.16:

Block	Verses	Governing adverb	Scope	Outcome
A	10–15	(default + רַק in v.14 carving out spoil)	הֶעָרִ֔ים הָרְחֹקֹ֥ת מִמְּךָ֖ מְאֹ֑ד — "cities very far from you"	Peace-offer → tribute-service if accepted; males-by-sword + non-combatant spoil if refused
B	16–18	רַ֗ק (v.16 initial)	עָרֵ֤י הָֽעַמִּים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה — "cities of these peoples" (the inheritance)	לֹ֥א תְחַיֶּ֖ה כָּל־נְשָׁמָֽה + הַחֲרֵ֣ם תַּחֲרִימֵ֗ם — no-breath-survives + absolute-devotion

The purpose/negative-final clause of v.18 (לְמַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יְלַמְּד֤וּ אֶתְכֶם֙) supplies the stated rationale for why block B departs from block A: prevention of cultic contagion.

Text

Hebrew (BHSA): - v.10: כִּֽי־תִקְרַ֣ב אֶל־עִ֔יר לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם עָלֶ֑יהָ וְקָרָ֥אתָ אֵלֶ֖יהָ לְשָׁלֹֽום׃ - v.11: וְהָיָה֙ אִם־שָׁלֹ֣ום תַּֽעַנְךָ֔ וּפָתְחָ֖ה לָ֑ךְ וְהָיָ֞ה כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַנִּמְצָא־בָ֗הּ יִהְי֥וּ לְךָ֛ לָמַ֖ס וַעֲבָדֽוּךָ׃ - v.12: וְאִם־לֹ֤א תַשְׁלִים֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ וְעָשְׂתָ֥ה עִמְּךָ֖ מִלְחָמָ֑ה וְצַרְתָּ֖ עָלֶֽיהָ׃ - v.13: וּנְתָנָ֛הּ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְהִכִּיתָ֥ אֶת־כָּל־זְכוּרָ֖הּ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃ - v.14: רַ֣ק הַ֠נָּשִׁים וְהַטַּ֨ף וְהַבְּהֵמָ֜ה וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִהְיֶ֥ה בָעִ֛יר כָּל־שְׁלָלָ֖הּ תָּבֹ֣ז לָ֑ךְ וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙ אֶת־שְׁלַ֣ל אֹיְבֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛ן יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לָֽךְ׃ - v.15: כֵּ֤ן תַּעֲשֶׂה֙ לְכָל־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים הָרְחֹקֹ֥ת מִמְּךָ֖ מְאֹ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־מֵעָרֵ֥י הַגֹּֽויִם־הָאֵ֖לֶּה הֵֽנָּה׃ - v.16: רַ֗ק מֵעָרֵ֤י הָֽעַמִּים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַחֲלָ֑ה לֹ֥א תְחַיֶּ֖ה כָּל־נְשָׁמָֽה׃ - v.17: כִּֽי־הַחֲרֵ֣ם תַּחֲרִימֵ֗ם הַחִתִּ֤י וְהָאֱמֹרִי֙ הַכְּנַעֲנִ֣י וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י הַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ - v.18: לְמַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יְלַמְּד֤וּ אֶתְכֶם֙ לַעֲשֹׂ֔ות כְּכֹל֙ תֹּֽועֲבֹתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשׂ֖וּ לֵֽאלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם וַחֲטָאתֶ֖ם לַיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

KJV: - 10 When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. - 11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, [that] all the people [that is] found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee. - 12 And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it: - 13 And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword: - 14 But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, [even] all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee. - 15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities [which are] very far off from thee, which [are] not of the cities of these nations. - 16 But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee [for] an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: - 17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; [namely], the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee: - 18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.

Word-by-Word Parsing (BHSA)

Verse 10

#	Hebrew	Lemma	Parsing	Gloss
1	כִּֽי	כי	Conj	that/when
2	תִקְרַ֣ב	קרב	Verb.Qal.Impf.2ms	approach
3	אֶל	אל	Prep	to
4	עִ֔יר	עיר	Noun.fs.Abs	town
5	לְ	ל	Prep	to
6	הִלָּחֵ֖ם	לחם	Verb.Niphal.InfCon	fight
7	עָלֶ֑יהָ	על	Prep.+3fs	upon
8	וְ	ו	Conj	and
9	קָרָ֥אתָ	קרא	Verb.Qal.Perf.2ms	call
10	אֵלֶ֖יהָ	אל	Prep.+3fs	to
11	לְ	ל	Prep	to
12	שָׁלֹֽום	שׁלום	Noun.ms.Abs	peace

Verse 11

#	Hebrew	Lemma	Parsing	Gloss
1	וְ	ו	Conj	and
2	הָיָה֙	היה	Verb.Qal.Perf.3ms (weqatal)	be
3	אִם	אם	Conj	if
4	שָׁלֹ֣ום	שׁלום	Noun.ms.Abs	peace
5	תַּֽעַנְךָ֔	ענה	Verb.Qal.Impf.3fs.+2ms	answer
6	וּ	ו	Conj	and
7	פָתְחָ֖ה	פתח	Verb.Qal.Perf.3fs	open
8	לָ֑ךְ	ל	Prep.+2ms	to
9	וְ	ו	Conj	and
10	הָיָ֞ה	היה	Verb.Qal.Perf.3ms	be
11	כָּל	כל	Noun.ms.Cst	whole
12	הָעָ֣ם	עם	Art + Noun.ms.Abs	the people
13	הַנִּמְצָא	מצא	Art + Verb.Niphal.Ptcp.ms	the-being-found
14	בָ֗הּ	ב	Prep.+3fs	in-it
15	יִהְי֥וּ	היה	Verb.Qal.Impf.3mp	be
16	לְךָ֛	ל	Prep.+2ms	to-you
17	לָ	ל	Prep	to
18	מַ֖ס	מס	Noun.ms.Abs	forced labour
19	וַ	ו	Conj	and
20	עֲבָדֽוּךָ	עבד	Verb.Qal.Perf.3p.+2ms	serve-you

Verse 12

#	Hebrew	Lemma	Parsing	Gloss
1	וְ	ו	Conj	and
2	אִם	אם	Conj	if
3	לֹ֤א	לא	Neg	not
4	תַשְׁלִים֙	שׁלם	Verb.Hiphil.Impf.3fs	be-complete / make-peace
5	עִמָּ֔ךְ	עם	Prep.+2ms	with
6	וְ	ו	Conj	and
7	עָשְׂתָ֥ה	עשׂה	Verb.Qal.Perf.3fs	make
8	עִמְּךָ֖	עם	Prep.+2ms	with
9	מִלְחָמָ֑ה	מלחמה	Noun.fs.Abs	war
10	וְ	ו	Conj	and
11	צַרְתָּ֖	צור	Verb.Qal.Perf.2ms	besiege
12	עָלֶֽיהָ	על	Prep.+3fs	upon

Verse 13

#	Hebrew	Lemma	Parsing	Gloss
1	וּ	ו	Conj	and
2	נְתָנָ֛הּ	נתן	Verb.Qal.Perf.3ms.+3fs	give-her
3	יְהוָ֥ה	יהוה	PropN.ms	YHWH
4	אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ	אלהים	Noun.mp.Abs.+2ms	your-God
5	בְּ	ב	Prep	in
6	יָדֶ֑ךָ	יד	Noun.s.Abs.+2ms	your-hand
7	וְ	ו	Conj	and
8	הִכִּיתָ֥	נכה	Verb.Hiphil.Perf.2ms	strike
9	אֶת	את	DObj marker	(obj)
10	כָּל	כל	Noun.ms.Cst	whole
11	זְכוּרָ֖הּ	זכור	Noun.ms.Abs.+3fs	her-male
12	לְ	ל	Prep	to
13	פִי	פה	Noun.ms.Cst	mouth-of
14	חָֽרֶב	חרב	Noun.fs.Abs	sword

Verse 14

#	Hebrew	Lemma	Parsing	Gloss
1	רַ֣ק	רק	Adv	only
2	הַנָּשִׁים	אשׁה	Art+Noun.fp.Abs	the women
3	וְהַטַּ֨ף	טף	Conj+Art+Noun.ms.Abs	and-the-children
4	וְהַבְּהֵמָ֜ה	בהמה	Conj+Art+Noun.fs.Abs	and-the-cattle
5	וְכֹל֩	כל	Conj+Noun.ms.Cst	and-all
6	אֲשֶׁ֨ר	אשׁר	Rel	that
7	יִהְיֶ֥ה	היה	Verb.Qal.Impf.3ms	be
8	בָעִ֛יר	עיר	Prep+Art+Noun.fs.Abs	in-the-town
9	כָּל־שְׁלָלָ֖הּ	שׁלל	Noun.ms.Cst+Noun.ms.Abs.+3fs	all-its-spoil
10	תָּבֹ֣ז	בזז	Verb.Qal.Impf.2ms	plunder
11	לָ֑ךְ	ל	Prep.+2ms	for-yourself
12	וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙	אכל	Conj+Verb.Qal.Perf.2ms	and-eat
13	אֶת־שְׁלַ֣ל	שׁלל	DObj+Noun.ms.Cst	spoil-of
14	אֹיְבֶ֔יךָ	איב	Qal.Ptcp.mp.+2ms	your-enemies
15	אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛ן	אשׁר/נתן	Rel+Verb.Qal.Perf.3ms	which gave
16	יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לָֽךְ			YHWH your God to you

Verse 15

#	Hebrew	Lemma	Parsing	Gloss
1	כֵּ֤ן	כן	Adv	thus
2	תַּעֲשֶׂה֙	עשׂה	Verb.Qal.Impf.2ms	do
3	לְכָל־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים	ל/כל/עיר	Prep+Noun.Cst+Art+Noun.fp.Abs	to-all-the-towns
4	הָרְחֹקֹ֥ת	רחוק	Adj.fp.Abs (articular)	the-far-ones
5	מִמְּךָ֖	מן	Prep.+2ms	from-you
6	מְאֹ֑ד	מאד	Adv	very
7	אֲשֶׁ֛ר	אשׁר	Rel	which
8	לֹא	לא	Neg	not
9	מֵעָרֵ֥י	מן/עיר	Prep+Noun.fp.Cst	from-towns-of
10	הַגֹּֽויִם־הָאֵ֖לֶּה	גוי/אלה	Art+Noun.mp+Art+DemPron	these nations
11	הֵֽנָּה	הנה	PersPron.3fp	they (are)

Verse 16

#	Hebrew	Lemma	Parsing	Gloss
1	רַ֗ק	רק	Adv	only / however
2	מֵעָרֵ֤י	מן/עיר	Prep+Noun.fp.Cst	from-towns-of
3	הָֽעַמִּים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה	עם/אלה	Art+Noun.mp.Abs+Art+DemPron	these peoples
4	אֲשֶׁר֙	אשׁר	Rel	which
5	יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ		PropN + Noun.mp.+2ms	YHWH your-God
6	נֹתֵ֥ן	נתן	Verb.Qal.Ptcp.ms.Abs	giving
7	לְךָ֖	ל	Prep.+2ms	to-you
8	נַחֲלָ֑ה	נחלה	Noun.fs.Abs	inheritance
9	לֹ֥א	לא	Neg	not
10	תְחַיֶּ֖ה	חיה	Verb.Piel.Impf.2ms	keep-alive
11	כָּל־נְשָׁמָֽה	כל/נשׁמה	Noun.ms.Cst+Noun.fs.Abs	all-breath

Verse 17

#	Hebrew	Lemma	Parsing	Gloss
1	כִּֽי	כי	Conj	for / but
2	הַחֲרֵ֣ם	חרם	Verb.Hiphil.InfAbs	utterly-destroy (InfAbs)
3	תַּחֲרִימֵ֗ם	חרם	Verb.Hiphil.Impf.2ms.+3mp	you-shall-utterly-destroy-them
4	הַחִתִּ֤י	חתי	Art+Adj.ms.Abs (gentilic)	the-Hittite
5	וְהָאֱמֹרִי֙	אמרי	Conj+Art+Adj.ms.Abs	and-the-Amorite
6	הַכְּנַעֲנִ֣י	כנעני	Art+Adj.ms.Abs	the-Canaanite
7	וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י	פרזי	Conj+Art+Adj.ms.Abs	and-the-Perizzite
8	הַחִוִּ֖י	חוי	Art+Adj.ms.Abs	the-Hivite
9	וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י	יבוסי	Conj+Art+Adj.ms.Abs	and-the-Jebusite
10	כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר	כ/אשׁר	Prep+Rel	just-as
11	צִוְּךָ֖	צוה	Verb.Piel.Perf.3ms.+2ms	he-commanded-you
12	יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ		PropN + Noun.mp.+2ms	YHWH your-God

Verse 18

#	Hebrew	Lemma	Parsing	Gloss
1	לְמַ֗עַן	למען	Prep (causal/purpose)	in-order-that
2	אֲשֶׁ֨ר	אשׁר	Rel	that
3	לֹֽא	לא	Neg	not
4	יְלַמְּד֤וּ	למד	Verb.Piel.Impf.3mp	teach
5	אֶתְכֶם֙	את	DObj.+2mp	you (pl)
6	לַעֲשֹׂ֔ות	עשׂה	Prep-ל+Verb.Qal.InfCon	to-do
7	כְּכֹל֙	כ/כל	Prep+Noun.ms.Cst	as-all
8	תֹּֽועֲבֹתָ֔ם	תועבה	Noun.fp.Abs.+3mp	their-abominations
9	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	אשׁר	Rel	which
10	עָשׂ֖וּ	עשׂה	Verb.Qal.Perf.3p	they-did
11	לֵֽאלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם	ל/אלהים	Prep+Noun.mp.+3mp	to-their-gods
12	וַ	ו	Conj	and
13	חֲטָאתֶ֖ם	חטא	Verb.Qal.Perf.2mp (weqatal apodosis)	you-shall-sin
14	לַיהוָ֥ה	ל/יהוה	Prep+PropN	against-YHWH
15	אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם	אלהים	Noun.mp.+2mp	your-God

Clause Structure (BHSA)

Verse 10 — casuistic protasis + direct-speech apodosis

1. xYq0 (Q): כִּֽי תִקְרַ֣ב אֶל־עִיר — "when you approach a city" (ki + Qal.Impf.2ms protasis).
2. InfC (Q): לְהִלָּחֵם עָלֶיהָ — "to fight against it" (purpose infinitive, Niphal reciprocal-reflexive of לחם).
3. WQt0 (Q): וְקָרָ֥אתָ אֵלֶיהָ לְשָׁלוֹם — weqatal apodosis "then you shall call to it for peace."

Verse 16 — exceptive clause introducing Block B

1. xYq0 (Q): רַ֗ק מֵעָרֵי הָעַמִּים הָאֵלֶּה ... לֹא תְחַיֶּה כָּל־נְשָׁמָה — fronted רַק-adverbial delimitation ([Adju]) + negated Piel.Impf.2ms predicate + universal-negated object.
2. Ptcp (Q): אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה — relative-clause with ptcp-as-PreC: "which YHWH your God is (continually) giving you as inheritance" (futurum instans / ongoing gift).

Verse 17 — intensification + commandment-reference

1. xYq0 (Q): כִּי־הַחֲרֵם תַּחֲרִימֵם הַחִתִּי וְהָאֱמֹרִי ... — ki + Hiphil InfAbs + Hiphil Impf.2ms+3mp finite (cognate-intensification: "utterly devote them to destruction") + six gentilic direct objects.
2. xQtX (Q): כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ — comparative relative with Piel.Perf.3ms+2ms subject יְהוָה ("just-as YHWH your God commanded you").

Verse 18 — purpose clause + weqatal result

1. xYq0 (Q): לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יְלַמְּדוּ אֶתְכֶם — compound purpose/negative-final conjunction lemaʿan asher + negation + Piel.Impf.3mp + 2mp object. Conj = לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר, Nega = לֹא, Pred = יְלַמְּדוּ, Objc = אֶתְכֶם.
2. InfC (Q): לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּכֹל תּוֹעֲבֹתָם — complementing InfCon expressing the content they would teach.
3. xQt0 (Q): אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ לֵאלֹהֵיהֶם — relative clause modifying תועבתם with Qal.Perf.3p.
4. WQt0 (Q): וַחֲטָאתֶם לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם — weqatal 2mp "and (so) you would sin against YHWH your God" — consecutive result / second-order purpose-clause outcome.

Key Grammatical Features

1. Casuistic ki/im architecture of Block A (vv.10–14)

• Main protasis: כִּי־תִקְרַב (v.10) — ki + Qal.Impf.2ms, general casuistic case-opener ("when…").
• Nested protases: אִם־שָׁלוֹם תַּעַנְךָ (v.11, peace-accepted sub-case) and וְאִם־לֹא תַשְׁלִים (v.12, peace-refused sub-case).
• Apodoses: all weqatal (וְקָרָאתָ, וְצַרְתָּ, וְהִכִּיתָ, וְאָכַלְתָּ) — the normal legal-future continuation after the protasis (syntax-waw-conjunction).
• The Hiphil תַשְׁלִים in v.12 is denominative of שלום — idiomatic "make peace/agree to terms"; its Hebrew root connects directly to שלום in vv.10–11 (the peace-call) making the refusal lexically mirrored.

2. Hiphil haḥarēm taḥarîmēm (v.17) — infinitive-absolute intensification of חרם

• Form: Hiphil InfAbs הַחֲרֵם + Hiphil Impf.2ms with 3mp object-suffix תַּחֲרִימֵם.
• Construction: the InfAbs preceding the finite verb of the same root intensifies/asseverates the action — the classic paronomastic infinitive (tautological infinitive; GKC §113l–r; Joüon–Muraoka §123d–i; W–O §35.3.1).
• Standard gloss-range: "utterly destroy / completely devote-to-destruction / wholly ban."
• Lexical meaning: חרם (H2763) in Hiphil means "to place under a ban / devote irrevocably to YHWH, usually by destruction"; the action removes an object from profane/commercial use because it is consecrated-by-destruction.
• Grammar-reference: infinitive-absolute-intensification; stem-hiphil
• Word studies: H2763-charam, H2764-cherem
• Form-recognition note: the same Hiphil-paronomastic pattern recurs across the conquest ban (Deut 7:2; 1 Sam 15:3; Josh 11:20) and is the diagnostic formula for the ḥerem-war category distinct from ordinary-siege warfare.

3. Piel לֹא תְחַיֶּה כָּל־נְשָׁמָה (v.16) — negated Piel imperfect + universal-negated object

• Form: Piel.Impf.2ms of חיה ("live"). Piel here is factitive: "cause to live / keep alive / spare" (W–O §24.1–2; Joüon §52d).
• כָּל־נְשָׁמָה is a universal-negative idiom: noun.ms.Cst כֹּל + ms.Abs נְשָׁמָה under governing לֹא yields "not any breath / no breathing thing" (GKC §152b; Joüon §160k).
• נְשָׁמָה (H5397) is the lexeme for "breath (of life)"; it identifies the object of preservation precisely at the biological-respiratory level — literally "you shall not let any breath live."
• The verse therefore does not merely prohibit spoil-taking (the prohibition of Block A's v.14 spoil-category): it prohibits preservation-of-life itself.
• Word study: H5397-nshamah; cross-language TR-nshamah-pnoe.
• This is the lexical/semantic antonym to Block A's outcomes: v.11 יִהְיוּ לְךָ לָמַס וַעֲבָדוּךָ (all-alive-as-tributaries) and v.14 רַק הַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף וְהַבְּהֵמָה ... תָּבֹז לָךְ (women/children/cattle-alive-as-spoil).

4. The רַק exceptive adverb as structural hinge (vv.14, 16)

• רַק occurs twice in the passage with different scopes:
• v.14 רַ֣ק: restrictive-adverb within Block A carving out the positive exception (non-males preserved as spoil) from the preceding prohibition-implication of v.13's "every male by sword."
• v.16 רַ֗ק: clause-initial adversative-restrictive introducing Block B as an exception to Block A's whole preceding regime. This is the pivotal structural word of the entire statute.
• The lexical repetition is programmatic: the first רַק spares non-combatants in the distant case; the second רַק withdraws that sparing for the inheritance-territory case.
• In BHSA clause-tagging v.16's רַק forms part of the fronted [Adju] (רַק מֵעָרֵי הָעַמִּים הָאֵלֶּה ... הָאֵלֶּה), marking the scope of the negated verb — "only [= with-respect-to] cities of these peoples, you shall not keep alive any breath."
• This restricted scope is the grammatical basis for limiting the ḥerem statute geographically (the inheritance-land seven nations of v.17) and legally (not a general rule of conduct toward all foreigners).

5. The purpose clause לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יְלַמְּדוּ (v.18) — compound negative-final conjunction + Piel imperfect

• Compound conjunction: לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר (lemaʿan ʾăšer). The base preposition לְמַעַן + relative אֲשֶׁר yields a purpose/final-clause marker used commonly in Deuteronomy for stating divinely-intended outcomes (cf. Deut 4:40; 5:16; 6:2; 8:1; 11:21). BHSA glosses לְמַעַן as "because of / in order that" (preposition functioning conjunctively when paired with אֲשֶׁר); Joüon–Muraoka §169g classifies this as a standard final-clause marker; GKC §165b lists it among the "final particles."
• Negation: לֹא — the clause is negative-purpose: the goal is the non-occurrence of teaching/learning, not the occurrence of a positive goal.
• Predicate: Piel.Impf.3mp יְלַמְּדוּ (H3925 למד). Piel of למד = "teach" (causative-factitive: "cause [someone] to learn"); Qal of the same root = "learn." The 3mp subject is the implicit antecedent-set — the populations of vv.17 (Hittites … Jebusites).
• Object: 2mp suffix on את — אֶתְכֶם — "you (plural)"; the addressees are corporate-Israel.
• Rendering: "in order that they should not teach you to do after all their abominations" (KJV "That they teach you not to do…" — OE/KJV archaism where "that … not" = "lest they teach").
• Construction-inherent logic (grammar-only): the negative-purpose clause specifies non-survival-as-teachers as the intended outcome. Combined with v.16's לֹא תְחַיֶּה כָּל־נְשָׁמָה and v.17's הַחֲרֵם תַּחֲרִימֵם, it binds the absolute-destruction commandment to a stated rationale: prevention of cultic-pedagogical contagion. The grammar does not expand the ban (e.g., to later generations or to distant cities); it supplies a reason for restricting the ban to Block B's specific referent set.
• Follow-up weqatal result clause: וַחֲטָאתֶם לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם (v.18d) — Qal.Perf.2mp with consecutive waw. Clause-type WQt0 ("and-you-shall-sin"). This extends the negative-purpose backward as second-order motivation: learning → doing-abominations → sinning-against-YHWH. The chain is purpose-clause → InfCon-complement → relative → weqatal-result, a four-clause cascade stating the endpoint at issue.
• Grammar-reference: qal-imperfect (for imperfect mechanics); syntax-waw-conjunction (for weqatal apodosis in v.18d).

6. Block-A participle הַנִּמְצָא (v.11) — Niphal middle-passive "the-being-found"

• Form: Art + Verb.Niphal.Ptcp.ms.Abs of מצא. BHSA parsing flags the gender as ambiguous-listed ("unknown") due to the attachment pattern, but contextually modifying הָעָם (ms.Abs) = "the people that is found (therein)."
• Niphal of מצא = "be-found / be-present" (middle-passive stative); an idiomatic marker of census/inventory-scope (cf. Gen 19:15; 1 Sam 13:15–16; Est 4:16).
• Function: restricts the object of tribute-service to the entire resident population, without remainder.
• Grammar-reference: stem-niphal

7. Block-B participle נֹתֵן (v.16) — Qal active participle futurum instans

• Form: Verb.Qal.Ptcp.ms.Abs of נתן. PreC in Ptcp-clause ("which YHWH your-God is giving-you as inheritance").
• The participle frames the gift as ongoing / imminent / covenantally-operative at the moment of speech (Deut's Moab-plains address) — not a completed past gift.
• Contrast with v.13's וּנְתָנָהּ (Qal.Perf.3ms+3fs with consecutive waw, "and-he-gives/will-give-her") which is future-conditional on the city's war-making.
• The two נתן uses frame the two blocks with identical root: Block A = YHWH will give specific hostile-distant cities (contingent on war); Block B = YHWH is-giving the inheritance-territory (unconditional, covenantal).
• Word study: H5414-nathan

8. Gentilic-adjective series (v.17) — definite + coordinated

• Six Art+Adj.ms.Abs gentilics: הַחִתִּי / הָאֱמֹרִי / הַכְּנַעֲנִי / הַפְּרִזִּי / הַחִוִּי / הַיְבוּסִי.
• The singular-with-article pattern is the Hebrew "collective-ethnic" construction (W–O §7.2.2, §14.3.2): "the Hittite(s)" = the Hittite-people as a category.
• The list is a six-member variant of the canonical conquest-list (full seven of Deut 7:1 includes הַגִּרְגָּשִׁי). The shorter six-member form here is paralleled at Ex 3:8, 17; 23:23; 33:2; 34:11.
• In the clause structure (Clause 1 of v.17), all six function as direct-object-apposition to the 3mp suffix on תַּחֲרִימֵם — they spell out who "them" are.

9. כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ (v.17b) — comparative relative of prior commandment

• Form: preposition כְּ + relative אֲשֶׁר + Piel.Perf.3ms + 2ms suffix צִוְּךָ (subject יהוה אלהיך).
• Piel of צוה (H6680) = "command/charge" (factitive only-in-Piel).
• The comparative-relative anchors this statute to a prior statement — specifically the earlier seven-nations command (Deut 7:1–2) — marking v.17 as re-affirmation, not new legislation. BHSA tags the clause as xQtX (x-qatal with fronted conjunction).

10. Ḥîlūq of categories: ʿāmîm (v.16) vs. gōyîm (v.15)

• v.15 uses הַגּוֹיִם (mp. of גוי, "nations"); v.16 uses הָעַמִּים (mp. of עם, "peoples"). The referent is the same (the seven inheritance-nations) but the lexical shift is deliberate:
• גוי foregrounds political-ethnic identity ("nations");
• עם foregrounds population-as-kin ("peoples").
• The pair permits the rhetorical contrast: distant nations (with whom peace-terms are possible) vs. inheritance peoples (with whom integration is categorically blocked on cultic-contagion grounds, v.18).

Cross-References

Grammar library

• infinitive-absolute-intensification — for הַחֲרֵם תַּחֲרִימֵם pattern
• stem-hiphil — Hiphil causative of חרם and נכה
• hiphil-imperfect
• stem-niphal — הִלָּחֵם (reciprocal), הַנִּמְצָא (middle-passive)
• qal-imperfect
• syntax-waw-conjunction — weqatal apodosis chains in both blocks
• syntax-conditional-vow — כי / אם casuistic architecture

Word studies

• H2763-charam — verb "devote to destruction / ban"
• H2764-cherem — noun "the ban / devoted thing"
• H5397-nshamah — "breath (of life)" in v.16
• TR-nshamah-pnoe — Hebrew↔Greek bridge
• H5315-nephesh — related life-term (not used here; contrast)
• H5414-nathan — "give" in vv.13, 16
• H8045-shamad — related destruction-term
• TR-milchamah-polemos — מִלְחָמָה in v.12
• H1961-hayah — frequent throughout

Related passages

• Deut 7:1–5 — the antecedent ḥerem commandment referenced by v.17b כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ
• Deut 2:34–35; 3:6–7 — prior exercise of the ban against Sihon/Og (Block-A geography but Block-B treatment, flagging an exception in the opposite direction worth separate study)
• Josh 6:17–21; 8:24–29; 10:28–40; 11:10–22 — narrative application
• 1 Sam 15:3 — extension to Amalek, with the same paronomastic-Hiphil formula

Summary of the Two-Tier Structure (grammatical)

Feature	Block A (vv.10–15, distant cities)	Block B (vv.16–18, inheritance cities)
Protasis	ki + Qal.Impf.2ms (v.10)	raq adversative (v.16)
Peace-offer	Mandatory: וְקָרָאתָ ... לְשָׁלוֹם	Absent — no peace-call
Conditional sub-cases	Yes: אִם שלום ... ואם לא (vv.11–12)	None — unconditional
Life of non-combatants	Preserved: רַק הַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף ... תָּבֹז (v.14)	Prohibited: לֹא תְחַיֶּה כָּל־נְשָׁמָה (v.16)
Outcome verb	Qal.Impf.2ms תָּבֹז (plunder)	Hiphil InfAbs + Impf הַחֲרֵם תַּחֲרִימֵם
Rationale	Land-distant → non-threat to cult	Purpose clause לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יְלַמְּדוּ — cultic-contagion prevention
YHWH-gift verb	Perf.3ms נָתַן (v.14, past/completed)	Ptcp נֹתֵן (v.16, ongoing)
Ethnic category	הַגּוֹיִם (nations, v.15)	הָעַמִּים / gentilic-six (v.16–17)

The grammar itself draws the boundary: morphology (Piel-vs-Hiphil-paronomastic), syntax (רַק adversative, purpose clause with lemaʿan asher), and lexis (שלום / חיה vs. חרם / נשמה) cooperate to specify two distinct legal regimes keyed to two distinct referent-sets. The lemaʿan-asher purpose clause of v.18 is the grammar's own statement of why.