Now kill all the boys

[tonychanyt]

The Israelites took vengeance on the Midianites in Num 31:

15 “Have you allowed all the women to live?” he asked them. 16 “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident, so that a plague struck the Lord’s people. 17 Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, 18 but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

Killing women and boys offends our modern moral sensibilities. Back in the time of Moses, it was not an uncommon practice. When the boys grew up, they might want to seek revenge against the Israelites for killing their fathers. Killing them would eliminate this potential threat.

The Midian women were idol worshippers. They led some Israelite men to worship idols. Killing them would eliminate this possibility.

Moses was responsible for ensuring the nation's spiritual purity and integrity.

 

[AV1611VET]

When the boys grew up, they might want to seek revenge against the Israelites for killing their fathers.

This is my favorite episode of The Rifleman.

If you're interested, it's worth a watch.

It exemplifies your point very well.