A common misinterpretation views this passage as divine endorsement of indiscriminate violence or genocide applicable to modern conflicts, ignoring its historical context as God's judgment on wicked nations like the Amorites who had persisted in idolatry and immorality for centuries, reaching the limit of His patience as described elsewhere in Scripture; it is not a blueprint for human warfare but a specific act of divine justice within the covenant framework, often misconstrued by overlooking the broader narrative of Israel's possession of the promised land through God's initiative rather than mere human conquest.
Deuteronomy 4:47
King James Version (1769)
47 And they possessed his land, and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, which were on this side Jordan toward the sunrising;
This verse highlights God's sovereign power in granting victory to Israel over the Amorite kings Sihon and Og, enabling them to conquer and pursue their enemies to complete destruction, underscoring His faithfulness in fulfilling the covenant promise to give the land of Canaan to His people as they obeyed Him under Moses' leadership, serving as a reminder of divine intervention in history to establish Israel as a nation.