Ramifications of ḥerem

Putting an entire province to ḥerem does not create a province for one’s realm; it creates an empty demilitarized zone. Joshua can harem his entire country because of the understanding, so far unattested outside Israel, that the deity will allow his chosen humans to occupy the banned space. Outside Israel, therefore, ḥerem is only enacted against token cities as a pious gesture of gratitude to the patron deity (see discussion in proposition fifteen and the excursus in proposition eighteen) and perhaps also as a means to intimidate surrounding enemies (compare Sennacherib’s threat to Hezekiah in 2 Kings 19:11). It is also worth noting, however, that the lack of ḥerem does not necessarily correspond to what we would consider a more humane treatment of enemies; all of Mesha’s enemies are killed (hrg), even if the city they formerly occupied is not ḥerem.— The Lost World of the Israelite Conquest, 206