The biblical command to destroy the Canaanites is troubling. In Deuteronomy 7:1-2, Moses instructs the Israelites: “When YHWH your God … clears away many nations before you … you must utterly destroy them” (author’s translation). This command is fulfilled by Joshua and his army, and Joshua 10:40-43 offers a breathtaking picture of the violent destruction of the peoples of Canaan. In modern terms, we may call this a war of genocide. How is the reader of the Bible to understand the ethics of this utter destruction, including the killing of every woman, man, and child? How can we comprehend […]
