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Does the God of the Bible command genocide? Are the armies of Israel immorally responsible for the genocide of Canaanite populations at the command of their God? Let's talk.

Would the Israelites use a bioweapon of mass destruction

Postby Toast » Sun Nov 24, 2019 12:45 pm

If the Tribe of Israel somehow had access to a bio weapon that's designed to target the DNA of those who lived in the land of honey & milk, would the tribe of Israel have any moral objection to using such a WMD in order to conquer the land?
Toast
 

Re: Would the Israelites use a bioweapon of mass destruction

Postby jimwalton » Thu Jan 02, 2020 1:22 am

Very weird and seemingly contrived question.

But, just to play along, I would guess they would have moral objection to using such a WMD in order to conquer the land. The ultimate purpose of the conquest was to drive out the Canaanites, not to kill them (Ex. 23.28-31; 33.2; 34.11, 24; Lev. 18.24, and many many others). If they wouldn't drive out, the point was to incorporate them into the nation of Israel (Dt. 20.10).

As it turns out, the only cities the Israelites destroyed in the conquest were Jericho, Ai, and Hazor. All of the rest they let stand and they lived in them (Josh. 24.13).

So, I conclude that the Israelites would not have used the biological WMD you propose. The point was never mass destruction.


Last bumped by Anonymous on Thu Jan 02, 2020 1:22 am.
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