Cowardice, as depicted in the biblical narrative, often contrasts with the valor and faith expected of God's people. The Canaanites, inhabitants of the Promised Land before the arrival of the Israelites, are frequently portrayed as embodying fear and a lack of faith, particularly in the face of divine intervention and the advancing Israelites.

The Canaanites' cowardice is first hinted at in the book of Exodus, where God promises to deliver the land into the hands of the Israelites. In Exodus 23:27 , God declares, "I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run." This divine promise indicates that the Canaanites would be overcome with fear, leading to their eventual defeat.

In the book of Joshua, the Canaanites' fear becomes more explicit. Joshua 2:9-11 recounts the words of Rahab, a Canaanite woman in Jericho, who tells the Israelite spies, "I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, so that all who live in the land are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below."

This passage highlights the Canaanites' recognition of the power of the God of Israel, yet their response is one of fear rather than repentance or conversion. Their hearts "melted," and their courage "failed," illustrating a lack of resolve and faith in the face of the divine acts witnessed.

The narrative continues in Joshua 5:1 , where it is recorded, "Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and they lost all courage to face the Israelites." This further emphasizes the pervasive fear among the Canaanite kings, leading to their inability to mount a unified or effective resistance against the Israelites.

The Canaanites' cowardice is not merely a reflection of their fear of the Israelites but also a spiritual failing. Their fear is rooted in a recognition of God's power without a corresponding faith or submission to His will. This stands in stark contrast to the faith and courage exemplified by figures like Joshua and Caleb, who trusted in God's promises despite the formidable challenges they faced.

In summary, the biblical portrayal of the Canaanites highlights their cowardice as a significant factor in their downfall. Their fear, stemming from an acknowledgment of God's might, ultimately leads to their inability to stand against the Israelites, fulfilling God's promise to deliver the land to His chosen people.Joshua 2:11
And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
Nave's Topical Index

Joshua 5:1
And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
Nave's Topical Index

Afraid of Giants
... compelled the acknowledgment of the fertility of the land, cowardice slurred that
over ... with the two preceding tribes; and that the 'Canaanites,' or 'Lowlanders ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/afraid of giants.htm

The Call of Moses
... I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites,
and the ... It was not cowardice which prompted Moses' answer, but lowliness. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the call of moses.htm

How the Hebrews Fought with the Midianites, and Overcame Them.
... Moses, supposing that they were afraid of fighting with the Canaanites, and invented ...
said they had only contrived a decent excuse for that cowardice; and that ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 how the hebrews.htm

Chapter xii
... land promised to the posterity of Abram was already occupied by the Canaanites. ... is
no suggestion that either the untruthfulness or the selfish cowardice of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xii.htm

War! War! War!
... Labour with yourselves to drive the Canaanites out of your hearts. Spare none, let
no petty lust escape. ... Regulation IV."NO FEAR, TREMBLING, OR COWARDICE! ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/war war war.htm

Moses
... flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the ... him to conquer
the pride of Pharaoh, and the faithlessness, cowardice, and rebellion of ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon ix moses.htm

Ahab and Naboth
... and unjust, as well as a worshipper of the filthy idols of the Canaanites. ... shamefully
by a chance shot, after he had disguised himself, in the cowardice of his ...
/.../kingsley/sermons for the times/sermon xi ahab and naboth.htm

The Law of Christian Conscience.
... The Jews' consciences did not get seared by their slaying the Canaanites, but they ...
not for an hour!" It was not indifference"it was not cowardice"it was ...
/.../robertson/sermons preached at brighton/xvi the law of christian.htm

The Education of the World.
... Such was the sin of Noah, Ham, Sodom, Lot's daughters, and the guilty Canaanites. ...
it would be difficult to prove from the New Testament that cowardice was not ...
/.../essays and reviews the education of the world/the education of the world.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... showing the slightest tendency towards unity or concentration, the Canaanites were
more ... only at the expense of fresh losses, unless the cowardice or treason of ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

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