en_tn/deu/20/16.md

General Information:

Moses continues speaking to the people of Israel.

In the cities of these peoples that Yahweh your God is giving you as an inheritance

The cities in Canaan that Yahweh is giving to the people is spoken of as if the cities were the people's inheritance. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)

you must keep alive nothing that breathes

"you must not let any living thing stay alive." This can be stated in positive form. Alternate translation: "you must kill every living thing" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-litotes)