In the chapter called Violence and Zeal, for instance, Collins argues that the Bible presents mixed messages about if/when violence is justified. In the Old Testament, Yahweh is "a man of war" (Exodus 15:3) who uses violence, at times, to impose his will and to punish humans. Collins writes that "It does not always follow that his followers are authorized to act as Yahweh does, but he sets a powerful example." Collins also emphasizes the statement that "there is a time to kill" (Ecclesiastes 3:3).
A concrete example of justified violence is the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites. In Deuteronomy 7:2, the Israelites are advised to show no mercy. Although the conquest probably did not actually occur, "the texts present a model for the way Israel should relate to its neighbors."
According to Collins, one way that Jewish theologians have addressed the problematic Biblical narratives is by arguing that they concerns historical groups (like the Canaanites) who no longer exist, and cannot be analogized to modern people like the Palestinians. Collins points out that this treatment is unsatisfactory: "If the kind of violence that is extolled in these texts now seems unacceptable, should these texts still be regarded as authoritative and, if so, in what sense?"