Learner
Veteran Member
In ancient times, it was universally the norm to rule a nation by shedding blood, warring with other nations, killing and sacrificing humans to their gods.Color me cynical if you must,Cite?Yep.
And people typically overlook the fact that the Israelites tried to make peace with their Canaanite enemies first and those overtures were rejected.
For example consider Exodus 23:22-28. No mercy is shown to the Amorites et al. I don't see where the Amorites rejected any peace overture. Instead I thought the Amorites needed to be overthrown simply because they occupied land which God had given to Abraham.
Numbers 20:14/17/18
Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying...
“Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”
But Edom answered:
“You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword
Then you have the unprovoked pre-emptive attack by the Canaanite king of Arad, in the Negev, when he heard that Israel was coming. (Numbers 21:1)
Then you have...
Numbers 21:21-23
Israel sent messengers to say to Sihon king of the Amorites:
"Let us pass through your country. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.”
But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. He mustered his entire army and marched out into the wilderness against Israel. When he reached Jahaz, he fought with Israel.
But listening to a modern translation of an ancient people's explanation for why they were so genocidal doesn't really have much credibility to me.
Tom
Tom, the Israelites weren't at war with nations that consisted of "unarmed peace-loving peasants who's only skills for battle was planting seeds and growing crops', which seems to be the undertone language of some of the atheists argument.
As Lion points out, the Israelites sent peaceful envoys. Not all nations wanted peace with them.