Upon this report the people as a whole, of course through their rulers, were to examine closely into the affair (היטב, an adverb, as in Deuteronomy 9:21), whether the word was established as truth, i.e., the thing was founded in truth (cf. Deuteronomy 17:4; Deuteronomy 22:20); and if it really were so, they were to smite the inhabitants of that town with the edge of the sword (cf. Genesis 34:26), putting the town and all that was in it under the ban. "All that is in it" relates to men, cattle, and the material property of the town, and not to men alone (Schultz). The clause from "destroying" to "therein" is a more minute definition of the punishment introduced as a parenthesis; for "the cattle thereof," which follows, is also governed by "thou shalt smite." The ban was to be executed in all its severity as upon an idolatrous city: man and beast were to be put to death without reserves; and its booty, i.e., whatever was to be found in it as booty-all material goods, therefore - were to be heaped together in the market, and burned along with the city itself. ליהוה כּליל (Eng. Ver. "every whit, for the Lord thy God") signifies "as a whole offering for the Lord" (see Leviticus 6:15-16), i.e., it was to be sanctified to Him entirely by being destroyed. The town was to continue an eternal hill (or heap of ruins), never to be built up again.

Deuteronomy 14:3 Parallel Commentaries

Leviticus 11:43 You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps, neither shall you make yourselves unclean with them...

Leviticus 20:25 You shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean...

Isaiah 65:4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;

Ezekiel 4:14 Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul has not been polluted...

Acts 10:12-14 Wherein were all manner of four footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air...

Romans 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteems any thing to be unclean...

1 Corinthians 10:28 But if any man say to you, This is offered in sacrifice to idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake...

Titus 1:15 To the pure all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure...