Charles Ellicott Commentary Deuteronomy 2:34

"And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones; we left none remaining:" — Deuteronomy 2:34 (ASV)

And utterly destroyed. —that is, devoted to destruction. They made them chêrem, like the spoil of Jericho. This could only be by Divine direction. The word implies nothing less. It will be seen, therefore, that the narrative asserts in this case an extermination of Sihon’s people by the express command of Jehovah.