Deuteronomy 2:34 –
We conquered all his towns and completely destroyed everyone—men, women, and children.
This chapter details the wanderings of the Israelites over the 40 years. It expands on how they needed to avoid or negotiate passage through lands. In this segment they were to pass through Heshbon, so Moses sent ambassadors to talk with King Sihon. All they wanted to do was stay on the main road and buy food. But that was not acceptable to the king, so God allowed them to attack and occupy the lands.
Now as you read this they left no one. You compare this to war today and it’s much more sanitized. If “noncombatants” get killed, it becomes a major headline in the news. Or if we look at other nations in battle and they are killing women and children, it becomes an issue of “human rights.” But in the Bible this is ok.
I often wonder about the interpretation of instances like this. Was this the justification for the Nazis to try to kill off the entire Jewish race? Jesus talked more about love than war, so maybe the hippie movement in the 60’s had it right? Except of course for all the drugs and the disconnect with the Gospel. Now think about today, could we do this? If a leader said go in and take this land, leave no one, could you do it? Saul was commanded through a vision by Samuel to do this, and he did not. Lack of obedience was one of the reasons Saul had a downfall. So again I ask, if God said kill everyone, could you?