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Deuteronomy 20:16-18

N

Nu3030

New Member

How do the religious self-rationalize against the apparent violence of God. Often when speaking with the religious I am subjected to a barrage of scriptures regarding God's "good word". What of Deut. 20:16-18 where God calls for the genocide of an entire nation? I am curious, how do you make this...ok with yourself? Or even more interesting, do you take this scripture and other similar scriptures to attest to the Good and EVIL of the Biblical God?
-Nu
 
savagewind

savagewind

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Strong's2421 keep leave, make alive, certainly, give promise life, let, suffer to live, nourish up

It does not mean destroy them. It means give them no place.
 
Shermana

Shermana

Heretic
savagewind said:
Strong's2421 keep leave, make alive, certainly, give promise life, let, suffer to live, nourish up

It does not mean destroy them. It means give them no place.
Click to expand...

It says "don't leave anything that breathes". In other words, wipe them all out.

Now as for the OP, this is not a problem unless you place some strained idea of a happy sappy Kumbaya version of God as the forefront of what it means to be the ruling Deity.

If he decides he wants to wipe out a culture that's his decision. In ancient Jewish belief, Reincarnation may very well have been the defacto concept, and these cultures were entirely made up of people who were destined to be born to the slaughter. This is not much removed from Eastern ideas.
 
savagewind

savagewind

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Shermana said:
It says "leave no place for anything that breathes".
Click to expand...

That breathes against the Almighty. Right.
blast, that breaths, inspiration, soul, spirit

From nasham; a puff, i.e. Wind, angry or vital breath, divine inspiration, intellect. Or (concretely) an animal -- blast, (that) breath(-eth), inspiration, soul, spirit.

It does not mean destroy them. It means drive them out.
 
savagewind

savagewind

Veteran Member
Premium Member
The spirit of righteousness drives away the spirit of the world just like light destroys darkness. When light shines on darkness is it violent? Would the darkness think so if it could think?
 
J

Jonathan Hoffman

Active Member
Nu3030 said:
How do the religious self-rationalize against the apparent violence of God. Often when speaking with the religious I am subjected to a barrage of scriptures regarding God's "good word". What of Deut. 20:16-18 where God calls for the genocide of an entire nation? I am curious, how do you make this...ok with yourself? Or even more interesting, do you take this scripture and other similar scriptures to attest to the Good and EVIL of the Biblical God?
-Nu
Click to expand...
Apparently, God has his own designs on the world, and it is not for the 'created' to judge the good or evil of the Creator.
 
savagewind

savagewind

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Ecclesiastes 7:2 Advantage of knowledge wisdom preserves possessors.

Same word ṯə·ḥay·yeh
 
Pegg

Pegg

Jehovah our God is One
Nu3030 said:

How do the religious self-rationalize against the apparent violence of God. Often when speaking with the religious I am subjected to a barrage of scriptures regarding God's "good word". What of Deut. 20:16-18 where God calls for the genocide of an entire nation? I am curious, how do you make this...ok with yourself? Or even more interesting, do you take this scripture and other similar scriptures to attest to the Good and EVIL of the Biblical God?
-Nu
Click to expand...

God has the right to end the life of those who he creates. If he deems it necessary, then it most likely is necessary.

The reason for the destruction of those people is as stated in Deut...18 'in order that they may not teach YOU to do according to all their detestable things, which they have done to their gods...'

Those nations practiced debased religious rites including the murder of their own children.... so God was not only ending their lives, but was bringing an end to their 'detestable' religious practices.
 
savagewind

savagewind

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Pegg said:
God has the right to end the life of those who he creates. If he deems it necessary, then it most likely is necessary.

The reason for the destruction of those people is as stated in Deut...18 'in order that they may not teach YOU to do according to all their detestable things, which they have done to their gods...'

Those nations practiced debased religious rites including the murder of their own children.... so God was not only ending their lives, but was bringing an end to their 'detestable' religious practices.
Click to expand...

I understand the boys understand it means quick and bloody, but your a lady.
It means preserve no place for their wicked spirit. It takes a little longer than the sword, but it teaches peace not war. "They will learn war no more".
 
N

Nu3030

New Member
Hm interesting. I expected I would get responses contesting the interpretation of the term "destroy". I wonder. Assume, God did mean destroy how would he say it do you think? Is it not possible that the notion of a violent and evil God is frightening to some and there for you are imposing your own core values on to him? God raises Deborah to wage war in his name for the people of Israel. I don’t think that this is so far from that.

-Nu
 
Shermana

Shermana

Heretic
savagewind said:
That breathes against the Almighty. Right.
blast, that breaths, inspiration, soul, spirit

From nasham; a puff, i.e. Wind, angry or vital breath, divine inspiration, intellect. Or (concretely) an animal -- blast, (that) breath(-eth), inspiration, soul, spirit.

It does not mean destroy them. It means drive them out.
Click to expand...

I'm curious as to how you'd translate the next verse:

"Completely destroya them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you."

What does "Destroy" mean in the Savagewind Lexicon?

And in verse 12, "putting them to the sword" means to threaten them by swinging your swords at them to leave and let you keep their virgins and livestock I suppose?
 
savagewind

savagewind

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

See? We all want a place but in the case of wickedness, it is commanded leave no place for it. The natural tendency of a righteous man is to be fair. A place for me and a place for you. But Deuteronomy is saying NO!. It is NOT saying kill.
 
savagewind

savagewind

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Shermana said:
I'm curious as to how you'd translate the next verse:

"Completely destroya them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you."

What does "Destroy" mean in the Savagewind Lexicon?

And in verse 12, "putting them to the sword" means to threaten them by swinging your swords at them to leave and let you keep their virgins and livestock I suppose?
Click to expand...

The word "destroy" is ban. Ban is correct.
 
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