Topical Bible: Canaan: Land of Conquest of, by the Israelites

◄ Canaan: Land of Conquest of, by the Israelites ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Introduction

Canaan, a region of significant biblical importance, is often referred to as the "Promised Land" in the Scriptures. It is the land promised by God to Abraham and his descendants, a promise reiterated to Isaac, Jacob, and ultimately fulfilled through the conquest by the Israelites under the leadership of Joshua. The narrative of Canaan's conquest is a central theme in the Old Testament, illustrating God's faithfulness, judgment, and the establishment of Israel as His chosen people.

Geographical Context

Canaan is located in the ancient Near East, encompassing modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and parts of Jordan and Syria. The land is described as "flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8), indicating its fertility and abundance. Its strategic location made it a crossroads of ancient civilizations, contributing to its cultural and economic significance.

Biblical Promise and Covenant

The promise of Canaan to the Israelites is rooted in the Abrahamic Covenant. In Genesis 12:7 , God declares to Abram, "To your offspring I will give this land." This promise is reaffirmed in Genesis 15:18-21 , where God delineates the boundaries of the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates. The covenant is further confirmed to Isaac (Genesis 26:3) and Jacob (Genesis 28:13), establishing a divine mandate for the Israelites to inherit Canaan.

The Exodus and Wilderness Journey

The journey to Canaan begins with the Exodus from Egypt, where God delivers the Israelites from slavery under Moses' leadership. The Israelites' journey through the wilderness is marked by trials and divine provision, as God prepares them to enter the Promised Land. Despite their rebellion and lack of faith, God remains committed to His promise, as seen in Numbers 14:30 : "Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun."

Conquest Under Joshua

The conquest of Canaan is detailed in the Book of Joshua, where Joshua leads the Israelites across the Jordan River into the land. The fall of Jericho (Joshua 6) is a pivotal event, demonstrating God's power and the importance of obedience. The Israelites' victories over various Canaanite kings and cities, such as Ai (Joshua 8) and the southern and northern coalitions (Joshua 10-11), underscore God's role in granting them the land.

Divine Commands and Moral Imperatives

The conquest of Canaan is not merely a military campaign but a divine mandate with moral and spiritual dimensions. God commands the Israelites to drive out the inhabitants and destroy their idols, as seen in Deuteronomy 7:1-2 : "When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations... you must destroy them totally." This command reflects God's judgment on the Canaanites' idolatry and immorality, as well as His desire to establish a holy nation.

Settlement and Division of the Land

Following the conquest, the land is divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, as detailed in Joshua 13-21 . Each tribe receives its inheritance, fulfilling God's promise and establishing Israel's presence in Canaan. The division of the land is accompanied by the establishment of cities of refuge and Levitical cities, ensuring justice and religious instruction.

Challenges and Unfinished Conquest

Despite the initial successes, the Israelites face challenges in fully possessing the land. Some Canaanite groups remain, leading to future conflicts and spiritual compromises. Judges 1:27-36 highlights the incomplete conquest, as various tribes fail to drive out the inhabitants. This failure foreshadows the recurring cycle of disobedience and repentance in Israel's history.

Conclusion

The conquest of Canaan is a foundational event in the biblical narrative, demonstrating God's faithfulness to His promises and His sovereignty over nations. It sets the stage for Israel's history in the land, with enduring theological and spiritual lessons for God's people.

Nave's Topical Index

Numbers 21:21
And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,
Nave's Topical Index

Numbers 35:1
And the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,
Nave's Topical Index

Deuteronomy 3:3-6
So the LORD our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none was left to him remaining.
Nave's Topical Index

Joshua 6:1
Now Jericho was straightly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
Nave's Topical Index

Joshua 7:1
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.
Nave's Topical Index

Joshua 8:1
And the LORD said to Joshua, Fear not, neither be you dismayed: take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:
Nave's Topical Index

Joshua 9:1
And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;
Nave's Topical Index

Joshua 10:1
Now it came to pass, when Adonizedec king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;
Nave's Topical Index

Joshua 11:1
And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,
Nave's Topical Index

Joshua 12:1
Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon to mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:
Nave's Topical Index

Psalm 44:1-3
We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work you did in their days, in the times of old.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Joshua's Conquest.
... of the tribes and thus preparing the land for a ... the people to the "rest" of Canaan,
though not ... 4) The providential conditions favorable to the conquest just at ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter viii joshuas conquest.htm

The Israelites
... The pressure of Philistine conquest at last forced the Israelites with a ... the western
side of the Jordan, and Canaan became Palestine, "the land of the ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

Canaan
... But no permanent conquest was effected; Ramses retired again to ... Minor and the Greek
islands upon Canaan and the ... the Hittite capital, was "in the land of the ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm

The Early Training of a Race.
... Hebrews attempted but failed to enter Canaan from the ... and recalling the prosperity
of the land of Egypt ... irresistible lodestone luring them on to the conquest. ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study xi the early training.htm

The Place of the Old Testament in Divine Revelation
... Already for long centuries, by conquest and by commerce, the dominant civilization
of the Euphrates valley had been regnant in the land of Canaan, The Tell ...
/.../the origin and permanent value of the old testament/iv the place of the.htm

Canaan on Earth
... Very true," added Cineas, "for then we may easily regain Macedon, and make absolute
conquest of Greece; and ... Oh! sweet Canaan, heavenly land, where I ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/canaan on earth.htm

A Cloud of Witnesses.
... But they would sooner or later return to Canaan. ... than the morality of her time, she
saw the hand of the God of heaven in the conquest of the land, and bowed ...
/.../the expositors bible the epistle to the hebrews/chapter xiii a cloud of.htm

A Nation's Struggle for a Home and Freedom.
... a period of seven years became complete masters of the land of Canaan is different ...
Except at two or three great crises, this conquest appears to have been ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study xii a nations struggle.htm

The Nations of the South-East
... the Kenites, who took part with the tribe of Judah in the conquest of Canaan, appear
to ... Midianite hosts had overrun the land of Moab as at a later time they ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iii the nations of.htm

Jews and Gentiles in "The Land"
... return to their homes, after the first conquest of Palestine ... the daughter of the
"woman of Canaan," the intensity ... the far north-east of the land, occupying at ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 2 jews and gentiles.htm