In certain sections of the Tanakh, the text quotes YHWH (God) promoting such ideals as universal peace and love.
For instance, in Exodus 23:7, YHWH says (to the Israelites via Moses), “... Do not slay the innocent and righteous—for I will not justify the wicked.”
In Leviticus 19:18, He says, “?Love your neighbor as yourself.”
In Exodus 20:13, He says, “You shall not commit murder.”
In Exodus 20:15, He says, “You shall not steal.”
And in Exodus 34:6-7, He describes himself as “merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty?” (Exodus 34:6-7)
However, it seems to me as if such content is contradicted by a considerable amount of Tanakh material that portrays YHWH and his religion as anything but peace-promoting and just—material that includes accounts of the Israelites carrying out YHWH’s orders to exterminate other peoples, and of YHWH punishing people severely for no particularly good reason.
For instance:
[After an Israelite slaughter of the Midianite tribe’s men, Moses commands them to] “Kill every male child, and kill every woman who has ever slept with a man. But of the young girls who have never slept with a man, keep them alive for yourselves?’” (Numbers 31:17-18)
“YHWH our God delivered him [Sihon King of Heshbon] before us; and we smote him, his sons, and all his people. And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, the women, and the children of every city. We left none to remain.” (Deuteronomy 2:33-34)
“And we utterly destroyed them [the people of Bashan]? utterly destroying the men, women, and children of every city. But of all the cattle and spoil of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves.” (Deuteronomy 3:6-7)
“And he [God] smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of YHWH. He smote 50,070[33] men?” (I Samuel 6:19)
“And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites? And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, oxen, donkeys, camels, and apparel, and returned to Achish.” (I Samuel 27:8-9)
“And I heard him [YHWH] say to the others, ‘Follow him through the city, and smite: do not let your eye spare, and do not have pity. Utterly slay old men, young men, maids, little children, and women: but do not go near any man upon whom is the mark. (Ezekiel 9:5-*)
[33] Most manuscripts say 50,070, but some say 70