Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel, and donkey.” (1 Samuel 15:2-3)

Why The Children?

The wrath of God is not a respecter of persons. It is difficult for the human mind to grasp the infinite wisdom and righteousness of God because the will of God is so much higher than man. The reality that human wisdom cannot rationalize is how purposeful the plan of God is in carrying out righteous judgment. Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden because they questioned the righteousness of the Lord. In the days of Noah, every person on the planet died in the flood who were outside the ark. The world had become so wicked the wrath of God declared final judgment measured by grace to destroy all who had the breath of life and save eight souls. Those outside the ark included children. Mothers pregnant with babies died in the flood. Infants drowned in the waters. Young children struggled before they also died. When God brought death to the firstborn of Egypt, young boys and girls died without respect of persons.

Abraham was told he would not inherit the land of Canaan because the iniquity of the people was not complete or deserving of the wrath of God. Joshua fulfilled that promise when he led the nation of Israel across the Jordan River and began to conquer the Canaanite cities. Jericho was the first to feel the wrath of God as a city doomed for destruction. This included everyone in the city, young and old. On the seventh day, the people destroyed Jericho, including man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword. Only Rahab and her family were spared. Twelve thousand died in the city of Ai as the Israelites utterly destroyed all the inhabitants.

Joshua utterly destroyed cities like Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Gezer, Eglon, Hebron, the mountain country, and the South; he left none remaining but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded. In seven years, Israel subdued Canaan, killing most of its inhabitants – including the children. Nearly four hundred years later, God tells King Saul to attack Amalek and utterly destroy everything they have, sparing no one. God commands them to kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel, and donkey. Everyone must die. The punishment against the Amalekites is judgment as retribution for the attack Amalek brought against the Hebrews when they came out of Egypt. The iniquity of the people was full in the days of Saul, and judgment was to be brought against the people. King Saul failed in his mission, but the command did not change.

The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. That means that everything God does is right. The righteousness of the Lord is not based on human reasoning but on the eternal nature of the divine. When God destroyed the children in the flood, the conquest of Canaan, and judgment against nations, He did so as a righteous act of wrath and mercy. Killing the infants and children served a purpose with an eternal design. God told Saul to kill the Amalekite children allowing the innocent to leave a pagan world and find eternal joy in the bosom of Abraham. The death of a child is sad, but they are sinless and will enjoy eternal life. Secondly, killing the children removes the seeds of future generations of the culture bent on destruction.

God told Israel to annihilate the people of Canaan. They failed in this command, and the people of the land became an irritant in the eyes of the people and a thorn in the flesh. Purity demands the complete removal of all that offends. God warned the Israelites if they did not remove the pagan influence from the land, the temptation to become like the nations around them would destroy them. Israel’s history is written on the pages of its failure to kill all the people. This failure included allowing the children (the future generation) to remain. God’s wrath demanded young and old die without exception. Man will disagree and charge the Lord with cruelty, but he does so at the expense of his soul. God is righteous, and all He does (without exception) is holy, right, true, and perfect.