Bible Verses About Genocide
Ranked by the OpenBible.info topical community
These are the Bible verses most often cited for genocide, ranked by the OpenBible.info topical community across 4,106 votes, led by 1 Samuel 15:2-3. Each passage links to its verse page or the interactive map; scripture is the King James Version.
Top verses about Genocide
1 Samuel 15:2-3214 votes
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
Hosea 13:16158 votes
Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.
Deuteronomy 20:16-17139 votes
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:
Joshua 6:21138 votes
And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
Deuteronomy 2:34136 votes
And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain:
Deuteronomy 13:15125 votes
Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.
Isaiah 13:15-18117 votes
Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.
Deuteronomy 3:4-6110 votes
And we took all his cities at that time, there was not a city which we took not from them, threescore cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
Joshua 10:40108 votes
So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded.
Judges 20:48105 votes
And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.
Deuteronomy 7:2104 votes
And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
Deuteronomy 7:16102 votes
And thou shalt consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.
Isaiah 14:21101 votes
Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.
Leviticus 26:7-994 votes
And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
Jeremiah 50:21-2290 votes
Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod: waste and utterly destroy after them, saith the Lord, and do according to all that I have commanded thee.
Exodus 34:11-1482 votes
Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
Exodus 32:27-2881 votes
And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.
Deuteronomy 2:19-2381 votes
And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession.
Psalms 137:955 votes
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
Isaiah 13:1653 votes
Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.
Joshua 6:20-2152 votes
So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
Deuteronomy 20:16-1851 votes
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:
1 Samuel 15:1-3551 votes
Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.
Exodus 12:29-3044 votes
And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
2 Kings 2:23-2442 votes
And he went up from thence unto Beth–el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
What does the Bible say about genocide?
Readers most often cite 1 Samuel 15:2-3 on the subject of genocide. Across 4,106 votes, 25 passages are commonly cited for this topic, including Hosea 13:16, Deuteronomy 20:16-17, Joshua 6:21. This page lists all 25 in ranked order, quoted in the King James Version, with each linked to its cross-references.