Genocide in Biblical and Modern Times, Part One

In common usage, the word genocide refers to large-scale slaughters of ethnic groups.  The literal root meaning is to “kill genes.”  This can happen on a small scale.  If a man is murdered without producing offspring, his genes have been killed.  His genetic material has been wiped off the face of the earth.  If a man undergoes sterilization without having produced offspring, his genes will die when he dies.  If we trace the root meaning further, we find that genocide could mean to “kill the beginning.”  To kill a man’s beginning, you kill him and his living ancestors.  All this is basic word parsing.

The only recorded genocide mandated by YHWH in the history of the world (unless you count the flood in Noah’s day), was when YHWH instructed the Israelites to kill every member of the Canaanite nations in the land that he promised to the Israelites.  To say that YHWH ordered a genocide makes us uncomfortable.  If it didn’t make us uncomfortable, we wouldn’t be human.  I assume that it made the Israelites uncomfortable.  There is an incongruency between YHWH’s Law which has us treat our brethren (and the stranger) with compassion, and this instruction to wipe out every member of the invaded cities, regardless of surrender.  It is troubling and disturbing.  Presumably the Canaanites had angered YHWH more than any other group in history.  Given some of the groups we have observed in history who were not dealt with thus, their atrocities must have been unimaginable.

But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee: That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 20:16-18

The rules of engagement for the far off cities, which were not given to the Israelites for an inheritance, were different.  All the males were killed, and the virgin females were saved (Numbers 31) or in some cases perhaps all the women and children as well (Deuteronomy 20).  This actually allowed the genetics of the race to survive, but eliminated any men who might fight against Israel later (including boys who would grow up with the memory of the previous war).

When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee. And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it: And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword: But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee. Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.  Deuteronomy 20:10-15

Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. Numbers 31:17,18

Aside from these commands, there are other examples of intended genocide in scripture, instigated by men presumably without YHWH’s approval.  Certainly he did not approve of the Egyptians attempting to kill all of the Israelite baby boys.  Nor was the extermination of the babies in Bethlehem by Herod approved.

And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. Exodus 1:15,16

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. Matthew 2:16-18

Does genocide only occur on large scales in the Bible?  No.  When a man had a serious feud with another man, he might try to kill that man and his male descendants.  If he were feeling particularly belligerent, he might also kill the man’s friends… pretty much any males that might be on the premises.  Now the scale of this is indeterminate.  Hebrew households were tribal.  Abraham had 300 soldiers born in his house.  So these threats may have been against hundreds of people, or tens, or just a few.  This suggests that every householder bore responsibility for the welfare of all in his house.  In a feud, an older householder with many members of his household would put many people at risk, whereas a younger householder with a newer household and fewer members, would put fewer people at risk.  It did not pay to feud.  The wording in scripture is that the prevailing feuder would kill “all that pisseth against a wall,” what we would consider a vulgar reference to how boys urinate.  Once we overcome the novelty of the word “pisseth” occurring in Scripture, we can see some examples:

Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good. So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall. And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall. 1 Samuel 25:21,22,32-34

At times, the slaying of a man and his male household was at the commandment of YHWH.  YHWH had feuds against certain men and their families (especially evil and wicked kings who abused YHWH’s people).

And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends. Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, 1 Kings 16:11,12

Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes; But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back: Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone. 1 Kings 14:7-10

And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel. And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel: 2 Kings 9:6-8

And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD. Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, 1 Kings 21:20,21

When the prince Shechem defiled the daughter of Jacob, Jacob’s sons sought revenge by killing all the males of his city.

And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males. And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out. The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister. Genesis 34:25-27

Even today there are ethnic groups warring with each other with genocide as a goal, in different parts of the world.  What are we to gain from these examples?  We can see just how important a family’s genetic survival is.  There is no worse fate that can befall a man than having his seed cut off from the earth.  There is no worse punishment that YHWH or men could prescribe to someone than this.  Men today who volunteer for sterilization have forgotten this basic biological and psychological fact.  Ultimately, to destroy a man’s family, is to destroy the man.  In the Bible, as today, it has always been recognized that genocide is the worst thing that can possibly happen to someone on this earth.  It is an act of utmost war and utmost hatred.

In Part Two of this article, I will analyze modern genocide starting with the definitions in the United States Code.