Overview
Scripture presents infanticide as a heinous violation of God's command to protect innocent life. The practice appears in contexts of political threat, as seen in Egypt's persecution of Hebrew infants and Herod's massacre of children in Bethlehem. These accounts emphasize God's protective concern for the vulnerable and His judgment against those who shed innocent blood.
Key Scriptures
"Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives... 'If it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.'" (Exodus 1:15-16, NASB)
"Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very angry, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all that region" (Matthew 2:16, NASB)
"A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be comforted, because they were no more." (Matthew 2:18, NASB)
Application
Christians must affirm and protect the sanctity of all human life from conception, recognizing each person as made in God's image.