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In partial fulfillment of His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God rescued the ancient Hebrews from slavery in Egypt and gave them the land of Canaan as their homeland. At that time, Canaan was home to several people groups who maintained diverse cultural traditions and spiritual practices. God ordered the Israelites to remove seven distinct nations from their land. The conquest served the dual purpose of providing a land for Israel and judging the Canaanites for their wickedness (see Leviticus 20, especially verse 23).
Speaking to the children of Israel before their entrance into the Promised Land, Moses said, “When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and 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 destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy” (Deuteronomy 7:1–3). Moses then warns them against intermarriage with the pagans and instructs them to eradicate their religion: “Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols in the fire” (Deuteronomy 7:5).
The seven nations occupying Canaan, as Moses listed, were the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. All these nations the Lord had slated for destruction.
Hittites – The Hittites controlled an extensive area in the ancient Near East that included Anatolia, which is present-day Turkey. The Bible’s mentions of Hittites in Canaan likely refer to small Hittite colonies. The Hittites were known for their legal system, military strategies, and architectural developments. They worshiped various gods of earth, sky, weather, etc.
Girgashites – The Girgashites seem to have been one of the smaller nations mentioned in Scripture. Extrabiblical sources contain little information about these people. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Girgashites inhabited an area near the Jordan River during the time of Joshua’s conquest.
Amorites – A Semitic people in Mesopotamia and Canaan, the Amorites developed many powerful city-states. In Canaan, their territory extended from the Arnon River in the south to Mt. Hermon in the north. They held territory east of the Jordan, too, but they were displaced there by the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh (see Joshua 12:6). The Bible depicts the Amorites as powerful opponents who enjoyed military superiority throughout the region.
Canaanites – The Canaanites represented a diverse group who demonstrated proficiency in trade, construction, and agricultural production. Archaeological findings suggest that Baal and Asherah were the primary deities in the Canaanite religious system.
Perizzites – Among the Canaanite groups, the Perizzites receive the least amount of attention in historical records. The Bible describes the Perizzites as residing in rural areas rather than in urban centers. According to some historians, the Perizzites were nomads who established small agricultural communities and raised livestock.
Hivites – Biblical texts mention the Hivites multiple times. They occupied regions in the north of Canaan and had connections to the cities of Shechem and Gibeon. The Gibeonites who deceived Israel into making a peace treaty with them (Joshua 9) were of the Hivite tribe.
Jebusites – The Jebusites lived in defensive strongholds in the hill country of central Canaan. They controlled Jerusalem, which they called Jebus. King David later seized Jebus, renamed it Jerusalem, and made it the nation’s capital (1 Chronicles 11:4–9).
Despite God’s command to drive out the seven nations of Canaan and His promise to help His people, the Israelites failed to fully complete the task (Joshua 16:10; Judges 1:21, 27, 32, 34). As a result, several people groups continued to live in Israel alongside the Hebrews. Centuries later, King David and his son Solomon were still dealing with descendants of the Canaanites: “There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these peoples were not Israelites). Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these peoples remaining in the land—whom the Israelites could not exterminate—to serve as slave labor, as it is to this day” (1 Kings 9:20–21).Girgashites – The Girgashites seem to have been one of the smaller nations mentioned in Scripture. Extrabiblical sources contain little information about these people. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Girgashites inhabited an area near the Jordan River during the time of Joshua’s conquest.
Amorites – A Semitic people in Mesopotamia and Canaan, the Amorites developed many powerful city-states. In Canaan, their territory extended from the Arnon River in the south to Mt. Hermon in the north. They held territory east of the Jordan, too, but they were displaced there by the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh (see Joshua 12:6). The Bible depicts the Amorites as powerful opponents who enjoyed military superiority throughout the region.
Canaanites – The Canaanites represented a diverse group who demonstrated proficiency in trade, construction, and agricultural production. Archaeological findings suggest that Baal and Asherah were the primary deities in the Canaanite religious system.
Perizzites – Among the Canaanite groups, the Perizzites receive the least amount of attention in historical records. The Bible describes the Perizzites as residing in rural areas rather than in urban centers. According to some historians, the Perizzites were nomads who established small agricultural communities and raised livestock.
Hivites – Biblical texts mention the Hivites multiple times. They occupied regions in the north of Canaan and had connections to the cities of Shechem and Gibeon. The Gibeonites who deceived Israel into making a peace treaty with them (Joshua 9) were of the Hivite tribe.
Jebusites – The Jebusites lived in defensive strongholds in the hill country of central Canaan. They controlled Jerusalem, which they called Jebus. King David later seized Jebus, renamed it Jerusalem, and made it the nation’s capital (1 Chronicles 11:4–9).
The expulsion of the seven Canaanite nations stands as a pivotal historical event that formed the religious and cultural foundation of ancient Israel. The biblical narrative serves as a reminder of God’s faithfulness to His covenant, even in the face of human unfaithfulness.
