God and The Canaanites: A Biblical Perspective: The Charge of Genocide

8/30/2018 God and the Canaanites: A Biblical Perspective
God and the Canaanites: A Biblical Home (https://probe.org) / God and the Canaanites: A
Biblical Perspective
Perspective
(https://probe.org/author/rickwade/),
January 9, 2011 (https://probe.org/god-and-the-canaanites/)
(https://probe.org/god-and-the-canaanites/?print=pdf)
(https://www.probe.org/probe-
alert/) (https://probe.org/god-and-the-canaanites/?print=print)
Our Topics Rick Wade provides a biblically informed perspective of these Old
Testament events, looking back at them with a Christian view of history and
 Reasons to - its signi cance. 
Believe
(https://probe.org/category/reasons-
to-believe/)
The Charge of Genocide
- General A common attack today on Christianity has to do with the character of the
God of the Old Testament{1}. Moses’ instructions to the Israelites as they
to- were about to move into Canaan included this:
believe/general/)
- God/Yahweh  
to-believe/god-
yahweh/)
https://probe.org/god-and-the-canaanites/ 1/13
- Jesus and the

Resurrection In the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is
(https://probe.org/category/reasons- giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing
to-believe/jesus- that breathes, but you shall devote them to complete
resurrection/)
destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites
- Reliability of the and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the
Bible LORD your God has commanded (Deut. 20:16-17).
to-
believe/reliability- (http://www.ministeriosprobe.org/mp3s/god-
of-the-bible/) canaanites.mp3)Because of such things, biologist and
prominent atheist Richard Dawkins describes God as “a
- Responding to vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser . . . genocidal . . . [a]
Critics capriciously malevolent bully.”{2}
to-believe/critics/) Can the actions of the Israelites legitimately be called genocide?
 The term “genocide” means a major action “committed with intent to 
Probe Answers +
destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.” {3}
E-Mail
Some twentieth-century examples are the extermination of six million Jews
(https://probe.org/category/probe-
by the Nazis and the slaughter of 800,000 Tutsis by the Hutus in Rwanda in
answers-e-
1994. Going by this de nition alone, the destruction of the Canaanites
mail/)
would seem to have been genocide.
Cults and + But there is a major di erence. These twentieth-century examples were
World basically people killing people simply because they hated them and/or
Religions wanted their land. The Canaanites, by contrast, were destroyed at the
(https://probe.org/category/cults- direction of God and primarily because of their sin. Because of this, I think  
and-world- the term should be avoided. The completely negative connotations of
religions/) “genocide” make it hard to look at the biblical events without a jaundiced
eye.
One’s background theological beliefs make a big di erence in how one sees
Current Issues
this. If God was not behind the conquest of Canaan, then the Israelites were
(https://probe.org/category/current-
no di erent than the Nazis and the Hutus. However, once the biblical
issues/)
doctrines of God and of sin are taken into consideration, the background
+ scenery changes and the picture looks very di erent. There is only one true
Culture and
God, and that God deserves all honor and worship. Furthermore, justice
Society
must respond to the moral failure of sin. The Canaanites were grossly sinful
(https://probe.org/category/culture-
people who were given plenty of time by God to change their ways. They
and-society/)
had passed the point of redeemability, and were ripe for judgment.
Politics and +
Faith
(https://probe.org/category/faith-
Yahweh War
and-politics/)
To understand what God was doing in Canaan, one must see it within the
Science and + larger context of redemptive history.
Faith
The category scholars use for such events as the battles in the conquest of
(https://probe.org/category/faith-
Canaan is Yahweh war. Yahweh wars are battles recorded in Scripture that
and-science/)
 are prompted by God for His purposes and won by His power.{4} 
Marriage, + Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman sees ve phases of Yahweh war
Sexuality & in the Bible. In phase one, God fought the esh-and-blood enemies of Israel.
Identity In phase two, God fought against Israel when it broke its side of its covenant
(https://probe.org/category/faith- with God (cf. Dt. 28:7. 25). In phase three, when Israel and Judah were in
and-sexuality/) exile, God promised to come in the future as a warrior to rescue them from
their oppressors (cf. Dan. 7).
History, +
In phase four there was a major change. When Jesus came, He shifted the
Holidays &
Quizzes
battle to the spiritual realm; He fought spiritual powers and authorities.
(https://probe.org/category/history/)
Jesus’ power was shown in His healings and exorcisms and preeminently in  
His victory in the heavenlies by His death and resurrection (see Col. 2:13-
Theology and +
Philosophy
(https://probe.org/category/probe- 15). Christians today are engaged in warfare on this level. Paul wrote to the
answers-e- Ephesians, “For we do not wrestle against esh and blood, but against . . .
mail/theology- the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (6:12).
emails/)
Phase ve of Yahweh war will be the nal battle of history when Jesus
returns and will once again be military in nature.
Founder’s Corner
(https://probe.org/category/founders-
Thus, Longman says, “The war against the Canaanites was simply an earlier
corner/) phase of the battle that comes to its climax on the cross and its completion
at the nal judgment.”{5}
There are several aspects of Yahweh war. The part that concerns us here—
Check out our
the real culmination of Yahweh war—is called herem. Herem literally means
Periscope “ban” or “banned.” It means to ban from human use and to give over
study completely to God. The ESV and NIV give a fuller understanding of the term
by translating it “devote to destruction” (the NASB renders it “set apart”).
Old Testament scholars Keil and Delitsch write that “there can be no doubt
(http://www.upperiscope.com) that the idea which lay at the foundation of the ban was that of a
compulsory dedication of something which resisted or impeded
 
sancti cation; . . . it was an act of the judicial holiness of God manifesting
itself in righteousness and judgment.”{6}
Canaan, because of its sin, was to be herem—devoted to destruction.

(https://www.probe.org/probe-
alert/)
The Conquest of Canaan

In the conquest of Canaan, three goals were being accomplished.
First, the movement of the Israelites into Canaan was the fruition of God’s
promise to Abram that He would give that land to his children (Gen. 12:7).
 
When Joshua led the people across the Jordan River into Canaan, he was
(HTTP://WWW.MINISTERIOSPROBE.ORG/PROBEMINISTRIES.RSS)
PROBE MINISTRIES ful lling this promise. Since the land wasn’t empty, this could only be
accomplished by driving the Canaanites out.
(HTTP://WWW.PROBE.ORG/)
The second goal of the conquest was the judgment of the Canaanites.
Driving them out wasn’t simply a way of making room for Israel. The
ISLAM AND TERRORISM
Canaanites were an evil, depraved people who had to be judged to ful ll the
(HTTPS://PROBE.ORG/ISLAM-
demands of justice. What about these people prompted such a harsh
AND-TERRORISM/) July
judgment?
8, 2018
Kerby Anderson For one thing, the Canaanites worshipped other gods. In our pluralistic age,
provides various it’s easy to forget what an o ense that is to the true God.
perspectives on the
In the worship of their gods, the Canaanites committed other evils. They
link between Islam
engaged in temple prostitution which was thought to be a re-enactment of
and terrorism,
the sexual unions of the gods and goddesses.
including how
Americans and An even more detestable practice was that of child sacri ce. Under the
Christians can think sanctuary in the ancient city of Gezer, urns containing the burnt bones of
about its children have been found. They are dated to somewhere between 2000 and
encroachment on 1500 BC, between the time of Abraham and the Exodus.{7}
 our culture.

The third goal of the conquest was the protection of Israel. God was
- Kerby Anderson
concerned that, if the Canaanites remained in the land, they would draw the
Israelites into their evil practices.
FROM FEARS TO TEARS
(HTTPS://PROBE.ORG/FROM- How could the Canaanites have that much in uence over the Israelites? For
FEARS-TO-TEARS/) June one thing, the Israelites would intermarry with them, and their spouses
29, 2018 would bring their gods into the marriage with all that entailed.{8} In
Sue Bohlin blogs addition, the Israelites would be tempted to imitate Canaanite religious
through her rituals because of their close connection to agricultural rhythms. The fertility
adventure in hip of the land was believed to be directly connected to the sexual relations of
replacement as the gods and goddesses. The people believed that re-enacting these unions
 
God takes away her themselves played a part in the fertility of the land.{9}
fears but then she
encounters At rst, the Israelites tried to compromise and worship God the way the
unexpected grief. Canaanites worshiped their gods. God had warned them against that (Deut.
- Sue Bohlin 12:4, 30, 31). Then they would simply abandon worship of the true God. As a
result, they eventually received the same judgment the Canaanites
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS experienced (Deut. 4:26; 7:4).
AND ADVANCED
DEGREES
(HTTPS://PROBE.ORG/RELIGIOUS- The Dispossession and Destruction of the
BELIEFS-AND- Canaanites
ADVANCED-DEGREES/)
June 21, 2018 In Deuteronomy 20:16, Moses said the Israelites were to “save alive nothing
Steve Cable that breathes” in the cities in their new land. The question has been raised
examines the data whether God really intended the Israelites to kill all the people. It has been
focusing on those suggested that such “obliteration language” was “hyperbolic.”{10}
with advanced Commands to destroy everyone are sometimes followed by commands not
degrees to inquire to intermarry, such as in Deut. 7:2-3. How could the Israelites intermarry
about their with the Canaanites if they killed them all? Maybe this was just an example
religious beliefs and of Ancient Near Eastern military language.{11}
 
practices.
- Steve Cable I think God meant it quite literally. Here’s why. Leviticus 27:29 says very
plainly that every person devoted to destruction was to be killed. Further, in
INFLUENTIAL
Deuteronomy 20, Moses said they were only to kill the adult males in far
away cities (vv. 13-14), but in nearby cities they were to “save nothing alive
INTELLECTUALS
that breathes” (v. 16). If God didn’t mean to kill everyone in nearby cities,
(HTTPS://PROBE.ORG/INFLUENTIAL-
then what distinction was being made? And how else would God have said it
INTELLECTUALS/) June
if He did mean that? That being said, I do not think God had the Israelites
21, 2018
comb the land to nd and destroy every person; they were to devote to
Kerby Anderson
destruction the people who remained in the cities when they attacked.
examines four
 
famous Another observation is that the instruction is frequently to dispossess the
intellectuals-- Canaanites or move them out rather than to destroy them. Scholar Glen
Rousseau, Marx, Miller points out that “dispossession” words are used by a three-to-one
Russell and Sartre, margin over “destruction” words.{12}

looking for reasons
Can these be put together? With Miller, I think they can. The people of the
they are worth
land had heard about all that had happened with the Israelites from the
following and not
time they escaped Egypt. “As soon as we heard it,” Rahab of Jericho said,
nding much.
“our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you,
-
for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth
beneath” (Josh. 2:11). Because of that advance warning, it is possible that
THE RELIABILITY OF
some people abandoned their cities. Thus, the Israelites could possibly have
KINGS AND
married people who weren’t in the cities when they were attacked.
CHRONICLES
(HTTPS://PROBE.ORG/THE- A more obvious reason for the possibility of intermarriage is the fact that
RELIABILITY-OF-KINGS- the Israelites didn’t fully obey God’s commands. In Jdg. 1:27-2:5, we read
AND-CHRONICLES/) that tribe after tribe of Israelites did not drive out all the inhabitants of the
June 10, 2018 cities they conquered. The Israelites intermarried with them which
Dr. Michael eventually drew God’s judgment on them as well.
Gleghorn shows
how the apparent
contradictions of Final Comments
 
two Old Testament
historical books can The most disturbing part of the conquest of Canaan for most people is the
be explained. killing of children. After the defeats of both Heshbon and Bashan, Moses
- Dr. Michael noted that they had “devoted to destruction every city, men, women, and
Gleghorn children” (Deut. 2:34; 3:3, 6).
No matter what explanation of the death of children is given, no one except

CHRISTIANS IN THE
the most cold hearted will nd joy in it. God didn’t. He gets no pleasure in
WORLD
the death of anyone. In Ezekiel 18:23 we read, “Have I any pleasure in the
(HTTPS://PROBE.ORG/CHRISTIANS-
death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should
IN-THE-WORLD/) June
3, 2018
turn from his way and live?” (see also Ezek. 33:11). When God told Abraham  
He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham pleaded for them,
Don Closson looks and God agreed in his mercy that if but only ten righteous people were
at 3 recent books
on how to live the found, He wouldn’t do it. Long after the conquest of the land, when God
Christian life in 21st decided He would have to destroy Moab, according to Isaiah God “wept
century America: bitterly” over her cities (Isa. 16:9; cf. 15:5).
Radical, The Next
But what about Deuteronomy 24:16 which says that children shall not be
Christians, and To
put to death because of their fathers’ sins? Isn’t there an inconsistency
Change the World.
here?
- Don Closson
The law given in Deuteronomy provided regulations for the people of Israel.
THE IMPORTANCE OF On an individual basis, when a father sinned, his son wasn’t to be punished
PARENTS IN THE FAITH for it. The situation with Canaan was di erent. Generation after generation
OF EMERGING ADULTS of Canaanites continued in the same evil practices. What was to stop it? God
(HTTPS://PROBE.ORG/THE- knew it would take the destruction of the nations.
IMPORTANCE-OF-
Here are a few factors to take into consideration:
PARENTS-IN-THE-
FAITH-OF-EMERGING- First, the sins of parents, just like their successes, have an impact on their
ADULTS/) May 27, 2018 children.
Steve Cable
Second, if the Canaanite children were allowed to live and remain in the
explores the results
 land, they could very well act to avenge their parents when they grew up, or 
of Probe's survey of
at least to pick up again the practices of their parents.
18- to 40-year-old
born agains, Third, if one holds that there is an age of accountability for children, and
focusing on the role that those younger than that are received into heaven with God at their
of parents in their death, although the means of death were frightful and harsh, the Canaanite
faith. children’s experience after death would be better than if they’d continued to
- Steve Cable, read live among such a sinful people.{13} How persuasive this thought is will
by Kerby Anderson depend on how seriously we take biblical teaching about our future after
the grave. [Ed. note: please see Probe’s article “Do Babies Go to Hell?
REASONABLE FAITH (http://www.probe.org/site/c.fdKEIMNsEoG/b.4220349/k.5C9C/Do_Babies_Go_to_Hell.htm)”
(HTTPS://PROBE.ORG/REASONABLE- by Probe’s founder Jimmy Williams.]
 
FAITH-2/) May 20, 2018
Dr. Michael These ideas may provide little consolation. But we must keep in mind that
Gleghorn brie y God is not subject to our contemporary sensibilities.{14} The only test we
examines some of can put to God is consistency with His own nature and word. Yahweh is a
the reasons why God of justice as well as mercy. He is also a God who takes no pleasure in
noted Christian the death of the wicked.
philosopher William
Notes
Lane Craig believes
1. This article is a slightly adapted version of the program that aired on the
that Christianity is
Probe radio program. A more detailed version is also available on our Web
an eminently
site with the title “Yahweh War and the Conquest of Canaan
reasonable faith.
(https://www.probe.org/yahweh-war-and-the-conquest-of-canaan/).”
- Dr. Michael
2. Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion (Boston: Mariner Books, 2008), 51.
Gleghorn
3. “Convention on the Punishment and Prevention of the Crime of
Genocide,” Article II, University of the West of England, at:
SEEING THROUGH
www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/ (http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/).
NEWS MEDIA BIAS:
4. The phrase “the Lord’s battles” or “battles of the Lord” are found in 1 Sam.
EXPOSING DECEPTION
18:17 and 25:28.
AND PROCLAIMING
5. Tremper Longman III, “The Case for Spiritual Continuity,” in C. S. Cowles,
TRUTH IN AN AGE OF
 Eugene H. Merrill, Daniel L. Gard, and Tremper Longman III, Show Them No 
MISINFORMATION
Mercy: Four Views on God and Canaanite Genocide (Grand Rapids:
(HTTPS://PROBE.ORG/SEEING-
Zondervan, 2003), 185.
THROUGH-NEWS- 6. C.F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, trans., James Martin, Commentary on the Old
MEDIA-BIAS/) May 13, Testament, vol. 1: The Pentateuch (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, n.d.), 484-485.
2018 Emphasis added.
Steve Cable 7. M.G. Kyle, “Canaan,” in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia,
examines the role James Orr, ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974), 550. 8. The atheism of today
of deception in how wasn’t an option. If the Israelites started to get a little slack in their
we receive much of obligations to Yahweh, they would turn to other gods.
today's 9. Bernhard Anderson, Understanding the Old Testament (Englewood Cli s,
information, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1957), 93-94; 96-103.
 
providing 10. Paul Copan, “Is Yahweh a Moral Monster?”, Philosophia Christi 10, no. 1
perspective on how (2008): 7-37; www.epsociety.org/library/articles.asp?pid=45
to see through it to (http://www.epsociety.org/library/articles.asp?pid=45). In his article “Yahweh

the truth. Wars” which was written after “Is Yahweh a Moral Monster?,” Copan
- Steve Cable presents two scenarios, one in which everyone was put to death, and the
other in which the targets were military leaders and soldiers. He believes
CHRIST AND THE the latter is the correct interpretation. See Paul Copan, “Yahweh Wars and
HUMAN CONDITION the Canaanites,” Philosophia Christi 11, no. 1 (2009): 73-92;
(HTTPS://PROBE.ORG/CHRIST- www.epsociety.org/library/articles.asp?pid=63
AND-THE-HUMAN- (http://www.epsociety.org/library/articles.asp?pid=63).
CONDITION/) May 6, In his discussion in “Moral Monster,” Copan refers speci cally to Deut.
2018 23:12-13 where Joshua also warns the people against intermarrying. One
Dr. Michael should note that Joshua’s commands in Deuteronomy 23 are given before
Gleghorn looks at the Israelites have completed their sweep through the land, so of course
how God has acted there are Canaanites there to marry. The Deut. 7 passage provides better
in Christ to address support for his position.
those things which 11. Copan, “Yahweh Wars and the Canaanites.”
ail us most: sin, 12. Glenn M. Miller, “How could a God of Love order the
su ering, death, massacre/annihilation of the Canaanites?” on the web site A Christian
and our broken Thinktank,
 relationship with 13. Cf. Paul Copan, “How Could a Loving God Command Genocide,” in That’s 
God. Just Your Interpretation (Grand Rapid: Baker, 2001), 165.
- Dr. Michael 14. And I say “contemporary” because children weren’t regarded as highly in
Gleghorn the Ancient Near East as they are today.
© 2010 Probe Ministries
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Rick Wade (https://probe.org/author/rickwade/)
Rick Wade served as a Probe research associate for 17
years. He holds a B.A. in communications (radio
broadcasting) from Moody Bible Institute, an M.A. in
Christian Thought (theology/philosophy of religion) from
 Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a Master of Humanities (emphasis 
in philosophy) from the University of Dallas. Rick's interests focus on
apologetics, Christianity and culture, and the changing currents in
Western thought. Before joining Probe Ministries, Rick worked in the ship
repair industry in Norfolk, VA. He can be reached at rwade@pobox.com.
What is Probe?
Probe Ministries is a non-pro t ministry whose mission is to assist the
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and to equip the church to engage the world for Christ. Probe ful lls this
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God and The Canaanites: A Biblical Perspective: The Charge of Genocide

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8/30/2018 God and the Canaanites: A Biblical Perspective

January 9, 2011 (https://probe.org/god-and-the-canaanites/)

- Jesus and the

Canaan, because of its sin, was to be herem—devoted to destruction.

The Conquest of Canaan

Russell and Sartre, margin over “destruction” words.{12}

No matter what explanation of the death of children is given, no one except

to see through it to (http://www.epsociety.org/library/articles.asp?pid=45). In his article “Yahweh

© 2010 Probe Ministries

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Further information about Probe's materials and ministry may be

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