Quote
Moses:
DEUTERONOMY 2:34 At that time we took all his towns and completely destroyed them – men, women and children. We left no survivors.
DEUTERONOMY 3:6 We completely destroyed them, as we had done with Sihon king of Heshbon, destroying every city – men, women and children.

There sits the heart of the matter. Like a festering boil.


I consider this a very fair question as long as it is understood to be answered within the context of those times. I would offer the following to consider:

a. Their moral pollution had reached its fullness and had become generational affecting even the small children. Gen. 15:16; Exodus 20:5
b. The pagan women would have led Israel’s children into idolatry. Deut.20:16,17; Num.25:1-3
c. God intended to preserve Israel in order to bless the whole world--in thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed (Gen.22:18). Other contemporary nations also practiced genocide but only in self-interest.
d. The children in death were saved, while in life they would have been depraved and lost (Matt.19:14). It shows us the depravity of their idolatry, which was really demonic worship as it included child sacrifice (Deut.32:16,17; Lev.18:21).
e. God also set borders on Israel so that they could not expand beyond them in the practice of “genocide” to claim their inheritance. The border limits set them apart as a far “kinder nation” than the typical expansionist/raiding mentality of their neighbors.
f. They also were to be kind to the strangers and remember their hardship in Egypt (Ex.23:9).
g. (Deut.2:25) God placed his fear on the nations ahead of driving them out. They were forewarned and given the opportunity to leave if they chose to do so (Deut.20). Israel was driving out nations mightier than they by the help of God were not overwhelming them with superior numbers. (Deut.11:23)
h. People who wished to voluntarily join with Israel were recognized—Rahab, Ruth, Uriah the Hittite,