You must be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the other peoples to be mine.

As for the cities of these peoples that ¹  the Lord your God is going to give you as an inheritance, you must not allow a single living thing ²  to survive.

A copy of this edict was to be presented as law throughout every province; it was to be made known to all the inhabitants, ¹  so that they would be prepared for this day.

The Lord judges the nations. ¹  Vindicate me, Lord, because I am innocent, ²  because I am blameless, ³  O Exalted One! ⁴ 

You, by your power, ¹  defeated nations and settled our fathers on their land; ²  you crushed ³  the people living there ⁴  and enabled our ancestors to occupy it. ⁵ 

For the music director; by the Korahites; a psalm. All you nations, clap your hands! Shout out to God in celebration! ² 

It ¹  furiously struck down nations with unceasing blows. ²  It angrily ruled over nations, oppressing them without restraint. ³ 

The many nations massing together are as good as dead, ¹  those who make a commotion as loud as the roaring of the sea’s waves. ²  The people making such an uproar are as good as dead, ³  those who make an uproar as loud as the roaring of powerful waves. ⁴ 

Come near, you nations, and listen! Pay attention, you people! The earth and everything it contains must listen, the world and everything that lives in it. ¹ 

For, look, darkness covers the earth and deep darkness covers ¹  the nations, but the Lord shines on you; his splendor ²  appears over you.

I trampled nations in my anger, I made them drunk ¹  in my rage, I splashed their blood on the ground.” ² 

I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face.

When your products went out from the seas, you satisfied many peoples; with the abundance of your wealth and merchandise you enriched the kings of the earth.

The traders among the peoples hiss at you; you have become a horror, and will be no more.’”

All who know you among the peoples are shocked at you; you have become terrified and will be no more.’”

You will advance; ¹  you will come like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the earth, you, all your troops, and the many other peoples with you.

who said by the Holy Spirit through ¹  your servant David our forefather, ²  ‘Why do the nations ³  rage, ⁴  and the peoples plot foolish ⁵  things?

You must destroy ¹  all the people whom the Lord your God is about to deliver over to you; you must not pity them or worship ²  their gods, for that will be a snare to you.

However, only to your ancestors did he ¹  show his loving favor, ²  and he chose you, their descendants, ³  from all peoples – as is apparent today.

You prolonged your kindness ¹  with them for many years, and you solemnly admonished them by your Spirit through your prophets. Still they paid no attention, ²  so you delivered them into the hands of the neighboring peoples. ³