The bible should NOT be read to children! The bible should NOT BE READ by children! It is dangerous.

My first point to answer this topic is that you must understand that all the verses you quoted are from the Old Testament. While the God of the Old Testament is the same as that of the New we have to realize that the Old Testament, while it has many applications to Christians lives today, was also written for a different audience, the Israelite nation. The nation of Israel was a theocracy, a nation who was ruled by God, which is not seen in today's day and age. Therefore God ruled the nation and made the rules for the nation just like kings, governors. emperors and governments have done for centuries. Let me go verse by verse that you mention. In 2 Samuel 12:11-14 we see God punish David for having murdered a man in order to hide his adultery with a woman who consented (was not rape) to having an adulterous affair with him. The punishment was not only against David, but also against Bathsheba who was complicit in this story. The child was not punished, but David and Bathsheba were. David repented of his sin and noted that one day he would go to heaven to be with his child. As for Dt. 2:34 I see no evidence that God commanded Moses to kill the women and children of Heshbon. Nm. 31:17-18 we see God commanded the killing of those babies because of the sin of Israel in committing whoredom. Since Israel was a theocracy God had complete control over the punishment for committing crimes in His nation. In Lev. 26:21-22 is more of an admonishment to them if they disobeyed his commandments. The only time in the Bible we see this carried out is when some teenage kids from an idolatrous city cursed and denigrated Elisha the prophet. I Samuel 15:3 is about revenge. The Amalekites had attacked the children of Israel as they wandered the desert attacking the rear of the travelers that contained the old, infirm, women, and children killing many of them (Dt 25:17-18). So in I Samuel we see God avenging the Israelite for what happened in the desert and held the Amalekites responsible. Hosea 13:16 is a prophecy of what is going to happen to Samaria by the Assyrians. This was not God dashing infants to pieces, it was the Assyrian Empire which is known by historians as one of the most evil and ruthless empires in world history. They didn't only dash Israelite babies to pieces, but also Syian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Hittite, and Canaanite babies as well. Any history book will tell you that. Blame the Assyrians not God. Also don't try to stop kids from learning about ancient history. 2 Kings 15:16 As far as Menahem we see that God condemned what he did. In verse 18 it says that "he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord." As you asked, should we as Christians follow the law of killing our children for cursing us? Absolutely not because we do not live in a theocracy anymore. This law was to the nation of Israel which was under a theocracy. One, we live in nations that have their own law which God commands us to obey and two we are now in the time of grace. Jesus and the apostles never commanded Jew or Gentile to follow the national laws of Israel. As far as Mark 7:10 and Mat 15:4 (which are the same event) Jesus was not enforcing the law there, but was debating a point. The Pharisees were condemning His disciples for not following Jewish tradition of washing their hands before eating. Jesus then facetiously condemned them, by their tradition, of letting children curse their parents and telling them that the curse was a gift from God. Therefore, the kids would curse at their parents and then tell them that the curse was a gift from God and the Pharisees allowed this to happen. In Mat 10:21 This is talking about how those who follow Christ will be delivered to the authorities in times of persecution by their brothers, their fathers, their children and in worse cases children will kill their parents because their parents are Christians! The Bible also condemns the nation of Israel for practicing the burning of children to Baal. He especially punished King Ahab and King Manasseh of Judah for putting their babies through the fire. God also condemned Herod for killing the babies in Bethlehem. One thing I ask is that from now on you read in context before blowing things up and misinterpreting the Bible. Also, now that I narrowed it down to only two instances in the Bible where God allowed a child to die or outright had people kill them please tell me you are pro-life and hate abortion. God loves children so much that when they die they go to heaven immediately. Indeed, God himself became a child was born in a feeding trough (which I am sure you weren't) and died for children and adults alike. Also Jesus in Lk. 18:15-17 he used children as example to teach his disciples on how to go to heaven for children have the great quality of humility which one needs to get saved. Also he prayed and talked with children. He fed children at the feeding of the five thousand and four thousand. Jesus also said in Mk. 9:37 ""Whosoever shall receive one of such children in My name, receiveth Me." In Lk. 18:16 He said, "But Jesus called them unto Him and said, "Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of God." Also in Mat. 18:6 Jesus says he will stand by children who are offended, "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Also the laws of Moses deal with penalty of death to those who sexually abuse children, (Lev 18-20) which is a lot tougher than today. God cares a lot for children. Verses that prove it are James 1:27, Eph 6:4 and Ps. 127:3.