Shoftim 20:13 · unit 1

TT #317 · Parashas Shoftim · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 20:13

The Complete Passuk

וּנְתָנָ֛הּ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְהִכִּיתָ֥ אֶת־כׇּל־זְכוּרָ֖הּ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃

And the Eternal your God will give it into your hand, and you shall strike all its males with the edge of the sword.

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei Devarim 200.

TT lemma: וְהִכִּיתָ אֶת כׇּל זְכוּרָהּ לְפִי חָרֶב.

Core Text

וְהִכִּיתָ אֶת כׇּל זְכוּרָהּ לְפִי חָרֶב – הַזְּכָרִים בִּלְבַד.

English: ‘And you shall strike all its males with the edge of the sword’ – the males only.

On the daf / in context: In a city that refused peace (outside the Land of the seven nations), only the adult males are killed.

Derash limiting the killing (Sifrei) — the verse specifies the males, not the whole population.

When a distant city refuses peace and is taken, only the males are put to the sword; the women and children are treated differently.