Genocide in the Hebrew Bible

Common card · No. 309950

In the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament), there are certain narratives describing occurrences of violence and warfare that are considered by some scholars and commentators to qualify as instances of genocide, particularly with regard to armed conflicts involving the Midianites and the Canaanites. Various interpretations have been given of these passages throughout history and of the notion that the Israelites acted on the command of God to wage war against and completely destroy a number of nations, including Amalek. In contrast, some scholars have disputed the application of genocide as it is understood today to violent biblical events, asserting that such a label is anachronistic. Other scholars have concluded that biblical descriptions of violence are few and mostly hyperbolic, based on comparisons to the literary styles of ancient Israel's neighbouring cultures. Thus, in mainstream scholarship, the historicity of biblical accounts of certain events is a point of contention and much debate...

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