What does Jewish tradition say about the battles between the Israelites and the Canaanites?

Answer 1

God promised Israel (Canaan) to the Israelites (Genesis ch.28, Exodus ch.3), and commanded them to take the land (Deuteronomy ch.1 and many other passages). One major reason was because of the Canaanites' egregious wickedness, which included bestiality, incest (Leviticus ch.18), sorcery (Deuteronomy ch.18), temple-prostitution, human sacrifice (ibid.) and idolatry. God predicted that if the Israelites were lax in the fulfillment of the command, they would stray after the Canaanite gods (Numbers 33:55), and that is what later came to pass (Judges ch.1-2). The Israelites did not like to fight, and in fact allowed large segments of the Canaanite population to remain as they were (Judges, ibid).

Note:

1) Israel (Canaan) originally belonged to the Semites (after the Flood) and was gradually seized from them by the Canaanites (Rashi commentary, Genesis 12:6). This was one of the reasons why God gave the land to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis ch.13), since he was a righteous Semite (Genesis ch.11).

2) The Israelites did not simply slaughter the Canaanites. They fought them in proper battle (Joshua ch.10) with miraculous assistance from God (Exodus ch.23).

3) They warned the Canaanites concerning God's command to take Canaan (Jerusalem Talmud, Shevi'it 6:1), and gave them a chance to leave the land (ibid). The Girgashites took the warning seriously and departed to Africa (ibid.), while the Gibeonites made a treaty with the Israelites (Joshua ch.9). The rest of the Canaanites insisted on fighting, and attacked the Israelites with a massive army (Joshua ch.11).

4) Whenever fighting, the Israelites never completely surrounded any town. They offered conditional peace, and then (if peace was rejected) left one area open for escape so that whoever wanted to flee could do so (Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Laws of kings and war ch.6).

5) The fact that the Israelites killed Canaanites need not bother you. Since secular writers claim that the evidence of Joshua's conquest comes from the Hebrew records exclusively, they must, logically, accept the Hebrew records in full, which clearly state that this was done at God's command, and give the reason too (Numbers 33:55). Even the Canaanites were impressed (Joshua 9:3-10, and 6:27).

Answer 2

One reason was because of the Canaanites' bestiality, incest (Leviticus ch.18), sorcery (Deuteronomy ch.18), temple-prostitution, human sacrifice (ibid.) and idolatry. God predicted that if the Israelites were lax in the fulfillment of the command, they would stray after the Canaanite gods (Numbers 33:55).
Note:

1) Israel (Canaan) originally belonged to the Semites (after the Flood) and was gradually seized from them by the Canaanites (Rashi commentary, Genesis 12:6). This was one of the reasons why God gave the land to Abraham the righteous Semite, and his descendants (Genesis ch.13).

2) The Israelites did not simply slaughter the Canaanites. They fought them in proper battle (Joshua ch.10).
3) They warned the Canaanites concerning God's command to take Canaan (Jerusalem Talmud, Shevi'it 6:1), and gave them a chance to leave the land (ibid). Most of the Canaanites insisted on fighting, and attacked the Israelites with a massive army (Joshua ch.11).
4) Whenever fighting, the Israelites offered conditional peace (Deuteronomy 20).

5) The fact that the Israelites killed Canaanites need not bother you. Since secular writers claim that the evidence of Joshua's conquest comes from the Hebrew records exclusively, they must, logically, accept the Hebrew records in full, which clearly state that this was done at God's command, and give the reason too (Numbers 33:55). Even the Canaanites were impressed (Joshua 9:3-10, and 6:27).

See also the Related Links.

Link: The reliability of the Hebrew record

Link: About Joshua

Link: What difficulties did Joshua face?

Link: Contents of the Book of Joshua