God’s command to utterly and entirely destroy the Amalekites in 1 Samuel 15 has been a cause of stumbling for many Bible readers over the years. The command itself leaves little room for compassion or mercy:
Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ (1 Samuel 15:2–3 ESV)
This seems to many to be at odds with what the Bible says about God’s compassion for human beings and animals elsewhere.