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There are two main stories in The Bible, of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites. The Book of Joshua says that under the great military leader, Joshua, they conquered Canaan and massacred the people. Fragments of another story, in which the conquest took place under Caleb, can also be found in Judges chapter 1. The story in the Book of Joshua largely reflects the traditions of the northern Hebrew kingdom of Israel, but subsequently amended to portray unity between Judah and Israel. The remnants of the story found in the Book of Judges, where the tribe of Judah conquered the same cities under Caleb, reflects the traditions of the southern Hebrew kingdom of Judah.
Scholars, on the other hand, are in near-unanimous agreement that there was no unified military conquest of Canaan at any time in the late Bronze Age. They say that the Hebrew people were actually Canaanites who migrated from the region of the rich coastal cities to settle peacefully in the hitherto sparsely populated hinterland. The absence of any unified military invasion, as described in the Bible, is demonstrated by Lawrence E. Stager (The Oxford History of the Biblical World, Forging an Identity: The Emergence of Ancient Israel) in the following chart of cities mentioned in the accounts.
* Site not known/ occupation not known
a) Not occupied/ meagre occupation
b) No destruction/ destruction not likely by Israelites
c) Contrary evidence
d) Possible destruction by Israelites
Jericho - Joshua 12:9; 6; 24:11
a) Meagre LB II occupation
Ai - Joshua 12:9; 7:2-8:29
a) No occupation from 2250 to 1200
Jerusalem - Joshua 12:10; Judges 1:21
b) No destruction at the end of LB II
Hebron - Joshua 12:10; 10:3637; 14:13-15; 15:13-14; Judges 1:10
b) No evidence
Jarmuth - Joshua 12:11; 10:5
b) LB II to Iron I occupation
Lachish - Joshua 1211; 10:31-32
c) City VII destroyed in late thirteenth century
Clty VI destroyed c. ll50.
Eglon - Joshua 12:12; 10:34-35
* Tell 'Aitun; LB occupation unclear
Gezer - Joshua 12:12; contra Judges 1:29
d) LB destruction, probably by Merneptah or Philistines
Debir - Joshua 12:13; 10:38-39; 15:15-17; Judges 1. 11-13
b) Tell er-Rabud; no destruction at end of LB
Geder - Joshua 12:13
* Khirbet Jedur; LB II and Iron I pottery; not excavated
Hormah - Joshua 12:.14
* Identification unknown
Arad - Joshua 12:14
a) No LB occupation
Libnah - Joshua 12:15; 10:29-31
* Identification unknown
Adullam - Joshua 12:1
* Khirbet 'Adullam;
not excavated
Makkedah - Joshua 12:.16; 10:28
* Identification unknown
Bethel - Joshua 12:16; 8:17; Judges 1:22-26
d) Destruction in late thirteenth century
Tappuah - Joshua 12:17
* Tell Sheikh Abu Zarad; not excavated
Hepher - Joshua 12:17
* Tell el-Muhaffer;
not excavated
Aphek - Joshua 12:18
c) LB destruction followed by Iron I "Sea Peoples" occupation
Lasharon - Joshua 12:18
* Identification unknown
Madon - Joshua 12:1
* Identification unknown
Hazor - Joshua 12:19; 11:10-13; Judges 4:2
d) LB city, Stratum XIII destroyed in thirteenth century
Shimron-meron - Joshua 12:20
* Identification unknown
Achsaph - Joshua 12:20
Khirbet el-Harbaj: LB II and Iron I pottery
Taanach - Joshua 12:21; contra Judges 1:27
a) Meagre LB II remains; Iron I village destroyed in latter half of twelfth century
Megiddo - Joshua 12:21; contra Judges 1:27
b) LB II/Iron I city, Stratum VIIA destroyed in latter half of twelfth century
Kedesh - Joshua 12:22
b) Tell Abu Qudeis; Iron I settlement, Stratum VIII destroyed in latter half of twelfth century
Jokneam - Joshua 12.22
c) LB II settlement, Stratum XIX destroyed in late thirteenth or twelfth century; gap follows
Dor - Joshua 12:23; contra Judges 1:27
c) 'Sea Peoples' known as Sikils occupy city in twelfth century; transition from LB to Iron I not yet determined
[Note: Archaeological work undertaken in the late twentieth and early twenty first centuries has established that Dor retained its Canaanite/Phoenician culture through until the end of the Iron Age. Conquered by the Israelite King Ahab, but Israelites did not displace the indigenous population.]
Goiim - Joshua 12:23
* Identification unknown
Tirzah - Joshua 12:24
b) Tell el-Farah (N); LB II and Iron I occupation; no evidence of destruction.
What else can I help you with?
How many years did it take israelites to reach canaan?
In The Bible, the Israelites wandered for forty years before they entered Canaan.In history, on the other hand, there was no Exodus from Egypt and no militiary conquest of Canaan as described in the Bible. The Israelites did not travel from Egypt to Canaan.
How many years did it take for the Israelites to reach Canaan?
Forty years.
How many fighting men did Joshua have to enter Canaan?
Joshua had approximately 40,000 fighting men when he entered Canaan, according to the biblical account in the book of Joshua 4:13. This number included the men from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, who had prepared for battle while the rest of the Israelites crossed the Jordan River. This force was part of a larger population of Israelites that had exited Egypt but was specifically noted for the conquest of Canaan.
What was canaan and why was it a significant place?
Canaan was geographically roughly the same as where Israel is today. It was significant because God promised it to the Israelites, and because it connects three continents and was part of several main trade routes. See also:History of the Israelites in Canaan (Israel)
Why is the city of Canaan such an important place for the Hebrews?
First off, Canaan is described as the land of Canaan in the Bible. Thus, Canaan is not a city, it is a region. Canaan is special to the Israelites for many reasons, but the primary reason is because Canaan is the land of their fathers. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Check out the books of Genesis and Exodus in the Bible. God promised the land to Abraham and Moses
What was the destination of the Israelites?
Their destination was the land of Canaan (Israel). See Exodus ch.3, Deuteronomy ch.1, and many other passages.
When God finally let the Israelites enter the promised land of Canaan how many nations had to be destroyed?
When the Israelites entered the Promised Land of Canaan, they were commanded by God to conquer and drive out the existing nations inhabiting the land. According to the biblical narrative, there were several nations, including the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, among others. The exact number of nations can vary depending on interpretations, but it is commonly stated that the Israelites faced multiple groups that had to be defeated to establish their presence in Canaan.
In what campaign was the town of Jericho taken?
The town of Jericho was taken in the military campaign led by Joshua, in the Battle of Jericho described in the Book of Joshua in the Bible. It is known for its miraculous conquest where the walls of Jericho fell down after the Israelites marched around the city seven times blowing trumpets.
Who were the girgashites?
The Girgashites were an ancient people mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the context of the land of Canaan. They are listed among the groups that the Israelites encountered during their conquest of Canaan, often associated with the broader category of Canaanite tribes. Their exact origins and specific characteristics are not well-documented, and they are considered one of the many peoples that inhabited the region before the establishment of Israelite settlements. Over time, the Girgashites faded from historical records and are not well-known in later accounts.
Which land did the Israelites believe was promised to them by God?
The land of Canaan, now known as Israel. Genesis ch.15, Exodus ch.3 and many more verses.
What are the contents of the Book of Exodus?
A:The Book of Exodus contains the biblical legends of the flight of the Israelites from Egypt and their subsequent forty years of wandering in the wilderness. The book ends with the death of Moses, after which the Book of Joshua takes up the story with the conquest of Canaan. It contains many subplots, including Moses receiving the Ten Commandments while the Israelites made a golden calf to worship, and Joshua's defeat of the Amekelites as long as Moses held his arm up high.
What caused the israelites to leave cannan and travel to Egypt?
Famine in Canaan. Much the same as what caused many Oklahomans, Texans, and New Mexicans to leave the plains and travel to California in the 1930s.
