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 Israelites were explicitly commanded by God not to make any covenants or alliances with the Canaanites, as these peoples were seen as a corrupting influence that could lead Israel away from their covenant with God.

Biblical Commandments Against Alliances

The command to avoid making leagues with the Canaanites is found in several passages of the Old Testament. In Exodus 23:32-33, God instructs the Israelites: "You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. They must not remain in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you" . This directive underscores the danger of idolatry and the potential for the Israelites to be led astray by the religious practices of the Canaanites.

Similarly, in Deuteronomy 7:2, the Israelites are commanded: "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 passage emphasizes the need for complete separation from the Canaanites to maintain the purity of Israel's worship and obedience to God.

Reasons for the Command

The prohibition against making leagues with the Canaanites is rooted in the concern for religious purity and the prevention of idolatry. The Canaanites were known for their polytheistic beliefs and practices, which included the worship of deities such as Baal and Asherah. These practices were abhorrent to the monotheistic faith of the Israelites, who were called to worship Yahweh alone.

In Deuteronomy 20:16-18, the rationale for this command is further explained: "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. You must completely destroy them—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" . The concern is that any interaction with the Canaanites could lead to the adoption of their detestable practices.

Historical Context

The command to avoid alliances with the Canaanites must be understood within the historical and cultural context of the ancient Near East. The Israelites were entering a land filled with established city-states and cultures that were often hostile to their presence. The command to avoid covenants was not only a religious directive but also a strategic one, aimed at ensuring the survival and distinct identity of the Israelite nation.

Consequences of Disobedience

The biblical narrative records instances where the Israelites failed to fully obey this command, leading to significant consequences. In Judges 2:1-3, the Angel of the LORD rebukes Israel for not breaking down the altars of the Canaanites, saying, "I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. They will become thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you" . This disobedience resulted in ongoing conflict and spiritual compromise throughout Israel's history.

The command to make no league with the Canaanites reflects a broader biblical theme of separation from sin and the call to holiness. The Israelites were to be a distinct people, set apart for the worship and service of Yahweh, and this required a clear demarcation from the surrounding pagan cultures.Deuteronomy 7:2
And when the LORD your God shall deliver them before you; you shall smite them, and utterly destroy them; you shall make no covenant with them, nor show mercy to them:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Judges 2:2
And you shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; you shall throw down their altars: but you have not obeyed my voice: why have you done this?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Covenanting a Duty.
... were forbidden to enter into treaty with the Canaanites or their gods. ... a testimony
in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter iii covenanting a duty.htm

That the Employing Of, and Associating with the Malignant Party ...
... Confederacy with the Canaanites and other nations was forbidden on ... the law of God
itself, that commanded such strict ... turn away from it, and put Israel to shame ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/section iii that the employing.htm

War! War! War!
... Labour with yourselves to drive the Canaanites out of ... hardest thing that the children
of Israel ever did. ... and Pharoah behind them, they were commanded to stand ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/war war war.htm

Covenanting Confers Obligation.
... a covenant with him, to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites ... And the duties
of the covenant, as if all Israel had been ... "He hath commanded his covenant ...
/.../the ordinance of covenanting/chapter v covenanting confers obligation.htm

How Joshua, the Commander of the Hebrews, Made War with The
... Their Land By Lot To The Tribes Of Israel. ... He commanded them also to bring together
all the ... it dangerous to confess themselves to be Canaanites, but thought ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 1 how joshua the.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... And How He Brought Some Of The Canaanites Into Subjection ... Of Syria And Pekah King
Of Israel, Made War ... When He Had Taken The Government Commanded The Murderers Of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
... perhaps, because the glory of the God of Israel was to ... to enlarge itself still upward,
and to make the heart ... and as to heavenly things, we are commanded to be ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm

The Last Days of the Old Eastern World
... court burdened them in order to make provision for ... A squadron commanded by Pausanias
roused the islands of the ... the time being, but they had no permanent results ...
/.../chapter iithe last days of 2.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... had refused to listen to the Canaanites when they ... Carchemish, the Hittite stronghold
which commanded the road ... which saved Hezekiah and "the remnant" of Israel. ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... itself the most bellicose of the tribes of Israel. ... on any expedition, not only against
the Canaanites, but, if ... Michmash, and Nob, and thus commanded both sides ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

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