Problem: God forbids and commands murder
Verses: Exodus 20:13, 1 Samuel 15:2-3;
Status: Serious
The Sixth Commandment, found in Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17 is variously rendered as "You shall not murder" or "You shall not kill".
Yet there are various places in the Bible where God commands or seems to approve of murder. Not all killing is murder, of course, but in some cases it can be described as little else. Here's 1 Samuel 15:2-3:
Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but
kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.' (
ESV)
Not only does this instruction to slaughter women and children contradict the Sixth Commandment, it's totally repellent in its own right. Yet infallibilists are happy to have a murderous and frankly evil God. A more reasonable Christian sees verses like this as having a human - not divine - origin.
I'll give an infallibilist reply just to indicate the consequences of believing that God commanded these killings:
When God authorizes the nation of Israel to wipe out a people, it is a lawful execution due to their rebellion and sin against God. Furthermore, such an extermination can be seen to be merciful by delivering the young into the hands of the Lord and possibly saving their souls by not giving them time to become "utterly sinful". Additionally, further generations that would have arisen from the perverse culture, are likewise prevented from coming into existence and spreading their sin.
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