Violence and wars in the Bible
3. In the Bible, wars were done in the name of God. Victory and defeat were attributed to the presence or the absence of God, supporting his people against others who did not believe in Him.
But, at the same time, we see in the Bible that God reprimands King David and rejects him because he has shed so much blood. He does not allow him to build the Temple (cf. I Ch 22:8). The book of Proverbs orders the avoidance of the wicked for whom "wickedness is the bread they eat, and violence the wine they drink" (Prov 4:17). It condemns the use of violence: "The oppression of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is right" (Prov 21: 7). In Psalm 62 "Put no reliance on extortion, no empty hopes in robbery" (Ps 62:11).
The Prophets fiercely condemned the acts of violence committed by Israel: "There is no fidelity, no tenderness, no knowledge of God in the country, only perjury and lies, slaughter, theft, adultery and violence, murder after murder" (Hos 4:1-2). They also repeat Deuteronomy that demands that the rights of the stranger and the poor be respected. "A curse on him who displaces his neighbor's boundary mark... A curse on him who tampers with the rights of the stranger, the orphan and the widow..." (Dt 27:19; cf. Dt 24:17; Ezk 22:7; Jr 22:3).
3. In the Bible, wars were done in the name of God. Victory and defeat were attributed to the presence or the absence of God, supporting his people against others who did not believe in Him.
But, at the same time, we see in the Bible that God reprimands King David and rejects him because he has shed so much blood. He does not allow him to build the Temple (cf. I Ch 22:8). The book of Proverbs orders the avoidance of the wicked for whom "wickedness is the bread they eat, and violence the wine they drink" (Prov 4:17). It condemns the use of violence: "The oppression of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is right" (Prov 21: 7). In Psalm 62 "Put no reliance on extortion, no empty hopes in robbery" (Ps 62:11).
The Prophets fiercely condemned the acts of violence committed by Israel: "There is no fidelity, no tenderness, no knowledge of God in the country, only perjury and lies, slaughter, theft, adultery and violence, murder after murder" (Hos 4:1-2). They also repeat Deuteronomy that demands that the rights of the stranger and the poor be respected. "A curse on him who displaces his neighbor's boundary mark... A curse on him who tampers with the rights of the stranger, the orphan and the widow..." (Dt 27:19; cf. Dt 24:17; Ezk 22:7; Jr 22:3).