Topical Bible: Canaanites: To be Destroyed

◄ Canaanites: To be Destroyed ►

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The Canaanites were a group of ancient peoples who inhabited the land of Canaan, a region that roughly corresponds to modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and parts of Jordan and Syria. The Canaanites are frequently mentioned in the Bible, particularly in the context of the Israelites' conquest of the Promised Land. The biblical narrative often portrays the Canaanites as a people whose practices and idolatry were abhorrent to God, leading to their divinely ordained destruction.

Biblical Mandate for Destruction

The command to destroy the Canaanites is rooted in several passages within the Pentateuch. In Deuteronomy 7:1-2 , God instructs the Israelites: "When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you—and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy."

This command is reiterated in Deuteronomy 20:16-18 : "However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes. For you must devote them to complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God."

Reasons for Destruction

The biblical rationale for the destruction of the Canaanites is multifaceted. Primarily, it is presented as a judgment against their idolatry and moral corruption. The Canaanites are depicted as engaging in practices such as child sacrifice, sexual immorality, and other forms of pagan worship that were detestable to the God of Israel. Leviticus 18:24-25 warns the Israelites: "Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for by all these things the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves. Even the land has become defiled, so I am punishing it for its sin, and the land will vomit out its inhabitants."

Furthermore, the destruction of the Canaanites served as a means to protect the Israelites from being led astray into similar practices. The concern was that the Israelites might adopt the Canaanites' idolatrous customs, thereby breaking their covenant with God.

Historical Context and Fulfillment

The conquest of Canaan is detailed in the Book of Joshua, where the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, carry out the divine command to conquer and destroy the Canaanite cities. Joshua 6-12 recounts the fall of key Canaanite cities such as Jericho and Ai, emphasizing the fulfillment of God's command to devote these cities to destruction.

Despite the initial successes, the complete destruction of the Canaanites was not fully realized. Judges 1:27-33 notes that several Canaanite groups remained in the land, leading to ongoing conflicts and challenges for the Israelites. This incomplete conquest is often attributed to the Israelites' failure to fully obey God's command, resulting in periods of oppression and idolatry as described in the Book of Judges.

Theological Implications

The command to destroy the Canaanites raises significant theological questions about divine justice, mercy, and the nature of God's covenant with Israel. From a conservative Christian perspective, the destruction of the Canaanites is seen as a necessary act of divine judgment against sin and a means of preserving the holiness of God's people. It underscores the seriousness with which God views idolatry and moral corruption, as well as His commitment to fulfilling His promises to the patriarchs regarding the land of Canaan.

The narrative of the Canaanites serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of sin and the importance of faithfulness to God's commands. It also foreshadows the ultimate victory over sin and evil through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, who fulfills the law and brings about a new covenant for all who believe.

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Exodus 23:23,24
For my Angel shall go before you, and bring you in to the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.
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Deuteronomy 19:1
When the LORD your God has cut off the nations, whose land the LORD your God gives you, and you succeed them, and dwell in their cities, and in their houses;
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Deuteronomy 31:3-5
The LORD your God, he will go over before you, and he will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before you, as the LORD has said.
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Library

The Kingdom of Samaria.
... A new enemy had risen up since the Canaanites had been destroyed, and the Philistines
repressed, by David; namely, the Syrians, a powerful nation, whose ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson viii the kingdom of.htm

The Locust-Swarms
... year to their idols; and when the Spaniards came and destroyed them off the face
of the earth in the name of the Lord"as Joshua did the Canaanites of old ...
/.../kingsley/the good news of god/sermon xx the locust-swarms.htm

How Joshua, the Commander of the Hebrews, Made War with The
... getting ready for the siege of it, they called upon Joshua to assist them; for such
was their case, as to expect to be destroyed by these Canaanites, but to ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 1 how joshua the.htm

Israel in Canaan.
... the seven Canaanite nations who were given into their hands to be utterly destroyed. ...
Many a fortified town was still held by the Canaanites, in especial Jebus ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson v israel in canaan.htm

How, after the Death of Joshua their Commander, the Israelites ...
... them than we have learned our forefathers made war against the Canaanites; and sent ...
there fell two thousand men; and probably more had been destroyed had not ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 2 how after the.htm

Joshua's Conquest.
... symbols destroyed and to worship an unseen God and yet Joshua constantly represented
to them that all the evils they had inflicted upon the Canaanites, and ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter viii joshuas conquest.htm

The Sword of the Spirit
... He will spare none of the evils which now pollute the nations; his sword
will never be quiet till all these Canaanites are destroyed. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/the sword of the spirit.htm

The Judges.
... (3) The oppression of the Canaanites, who came ... The Midianites came in from the east
and greatly oppressed Israel until Gideon defeated and destroyed these bold ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter ix the judges.htm

Saul Rejected
... the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice ... The
destruction of Canaanites and Amalekites does not change its nature because ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/saul rejected.htm

How the Israelites after this Misfortune Grew Wicked and Served ...
... till they were full of the evil doings that were common among the Canaanites. ... could
be prevailed on to assist him,] he first of all destroyed that garrison ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 3 how the israelites.htm