It has been speculated that the reason why God allowed the innocent children of Sodom, the towns that the Israelites were commanded to conquer and leave none alive etc., was a grace on God’s part. Because in the hands of their own people they would become as corrupted and sinful and given over to lusts beyon reason. What many have accused God of as being cruelty, was actually a mercy.
I am confident that God is merciful. I am also confident that making sense of God’s mercy in many circumstances is well beyond my abilities. This is one of many lessons that can be drawn from the book of Job.
God also told Saul to kill the children of the Amelakytes.
God does what He does and He doesn’t answer to us.
I have a different view.
The prime focus of God’s actions was to protect the Israelites who were chosen to bring forth the Messiah, God in the flesh, to redeem souls from death, to honor the promise made to the regretful and remorseful Adam by the appearance of a Second Adam who would be without sin.
When viewed thus, all the criticisms of God being ‘a vengeful God’ are put into context. God’s actions were to protect the coming of the Messiah.
“It has been speculated that the reason why God allowed the innocent children of Sodom, the towns that the Israelites were commanded to conquer and leave none alive etc., was a grace on God’s part. Because in the hands of their own people they would become as corrupted and sinful and given over to lusts beyon(d) reason.”
Not necessarily. I have found where God explains why.
Jeremiah 7
16 “As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you. 17 Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods in order to spite Me. 19 Do they spite Me?” declares the LORD. “Is it not themselves they spite, to their own shame?”
20 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, My anger and My wrath will be poured out on this place, on man and on beast and on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and not be quenched.”
I don’t disagree with your premise about God’s intent but will point out that Sodom’s destruction occurred before the Israelites existed. It was contemporary with Abraham. His relative Lot lived there and the destruction came from fire descending from heaven after angels evacuated all of Lot’s family who wanted to leave. Not all of the, did.