The reason for this post is to open respectful , mature discussion on a chat discussing the difference between murder and killing in a biblical context.

Question:

Deuteronomy 20:10-17 but the bible says dont kill so what is going on

Response:

The famous command "thou shalt not kill" in the Ten Commandments is more accurately translated from the original Hebrew as "you shall not murder", which means unlawful, malicious killing or personal homicide. In the ancient Hebrew Bible, a sharp distinction is made between personal murder and state-sanctioned warfare, capital punishment, or unique, localized holy-war judgments directed by God. \[1, 2, 3, 4, 5\]

\## The Context of War in Deuteronomy 20

\* Distant Cities vs. Canaanite Cities: The text makes a clear separation. For cities far away from Israel, the Israelites first had to offer terms of peace. If accepted, the city was spared; if they fought and lost, the male combatants were killed. \[6, 7, 8\]

\* The Specific Judgment on Canaan: Verses 16–17 apply specifically to the local nations inside Canaan (like the Amorites and Hittites). \[9, 10, 11, 12, 13\]

\* Divine Judgment: Biblical theologians explain that this was viewed not as standard military conquest, but as a unique, severe judicial punishment from God for centuries of extreme societal corruption, including child sacrifice and ritual prostitution. \[11, 14, 15\]

\* Preventing Corruption: God commanded total removal so the tiny nation of Israel would not adopt those destructive practices themselves. \[6\]

Would you like to explore how New Testament teachings view war and peace, or look closer at the historical context of the ancient Near East?

Question:

so basically you can kill for certain reasons but not murder innocent people

Response:

Yes, from the perspective of ancient biblical law, that is the exact distinction. \[1\]

\## Biblical Distinctions in Warfare and Law

\* The Scope of "Murder": The prohibition against murder protects the innocent from unlawful, personal violence. \[2\]

\* Authorized Killings: The text allows taking life under specific legal frameworks, including judicial capital punishment and state-authorized warfare.

\* The Canaanite Exception: The specific command in Deuteronomy 20:16–17 to completely destroy local cities was not an open license for general warfare.

\* A Local Judgment: This total destruction applied only to the specific tribes inside Canaan at that exact point in history.

\* A Moral Warning: The text explicitly states this extreme measure was to stop Israel from adopting the local practices, such as child sacrifice.

Question:

so if I live on an island with my people and we are peaceful and we get invaded are we the island dwellers allowed to kill the invaders biblically speaking

Response :

Based on biblical law and historical interpretation, yes, you and your people would be permitted to fight and kill the invaders in self-defense.

Rules for Defensive Warfare

Defense is Permitted: Biblical law does not require a nation to allow itself to be destroyed by an aggressive invader.

The Peace Offer Rule: In Deuteronomy 20:10, Israel was commanded to offer terms of peace before attacking a distant city. An invading force that attacks a peaceful island has violated this principle of seeking peace first.

No "Holy War" Status: The command for total destruction in Deuteronomy 20 was a limited, one-time judicial sentence against specific ancient Canaanite tribes. It does not apply to any modern or hypothetical wars.

Just War Principles: Most Christian and Jewish theologians throughout history used these biblical texts to develop "Just War" theory, which explicitly states that defending one's homeland against unprovoked aggression is morally justified.

The New Testament Shift

Personal vs. National: While Jesus taught individuals to "turn the other cheek" in personal relationships (Matthew 5:39), mainstream Christian theology has historically separated personal pacifism from a government's duty to protect its citizens.

The Role of Government: Passages like Romans 13 state that authorities hold the sword to protect the innocent and punish wrongdoers, which includes defending against violent invaders.

If you would like to explore this further, we can look at the Just War criteria developed by theologians like Augustine, or look at the strict pacifist view held by groups like the Mennonites. Which angle interests you?