15 you shall surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword, devoting it to destruction,¹ all who are in it and its cattle, with the edge of the sword. 16 You shall gather all its spoil into the midst of its open square and ^jburn the city and all its spoil with fire, as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. It shall be a ^kheap forever. It shall not be built again. 17 ^lNone of the devoted things shall stick to your hand, ^mthat the Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger and show you mercy and have compassion on you and multiply you, ⁿas he swore to your fathers,