CHHINLUNG THOLOGICAL COLLEGE

Zemabawk South, Aizawl

Paper : Advance Study of the Old Testament

Topic : Conquest

Submitted to : Miss Liboka G. Swu

Present by : Steven Cung Bawi Thawng

Respondent by : Man San Huai

Class : [Link].

Date of presenting : 09/08/2024

Introduction

When we study the history of Israel we need to use the information provided by Genesis to go to
discover and the actual events which records in the Old Testament. In order to know, the
background of Israelite people have to know first the Old Testament. Therefore, study the Old
Testament is so much importance to know how God led is people.

1. Historical Contexts

According the Old Testament Book of Joshua, Joshua led to the Israelites to Canaan after the
Exodus from Egypt. Joshua was appointed to be a successor of Moses (Deuteronomy 31: 8;
34:9). The book of Joshua tells, How Joshua led the people of God to the promise land. Before
Joshua leads the people of God, He is one of twelve spies sent by Moses to explore Canaan. The
book of Joshua contained stories of events leading up to the conquest of Canaan. 1 From the
Israelite encampment northeast of the Dead Sea, the Israelite could view the land of Canaan
across the river Jordan. Before, Moses died, Joshua had been appointed to lead them in conquest
and occupation.2

1
Kathryn M. Schifferdecker, “Summery of Joshua” https:// enterthebible. Org/ courses/ Joshua/ lessons
(accessed on 07/08/2024).
2
Samuel J, Schultz “The Old Testament Servey” (wheaton: Evangelical traning association,N.D.)39.
2. Biblical Narrative

The Conquest of Canaan is described in the book of Joshua. Many Scholars believed that the
Conquest of Canaan taken place under the leadership of Joshua. Joshua is the one who led the
people of God to the promise land while Moses was only able to see the promise land from the
distance. 3 The Israelite occupation was initiated by several quick military attacks on major
Canaanite cities. The book of Deuteronomy begins with the Israel encamped in the Transjordan
on the eastern side of the Jordan River. They are ready to enter to the promise land, after Moses
passed his mantle of leadership to Joshua, the book of Joshua pick up the story.4

3. Conquest Era

According to the Bible, the conquest era is when God fulfilled his promise to Abraham and gave
his family the land of Canaan as their home. The Israelite fight for the land, their obedience to
God leads to victory. Some Scholars believed that the ear of conquest will be taken in C.A 13 th
century.5

4. Preparations for Entering to the Promise land

Before Israel could take the Promise land, Joshua and the people of Israel had to be prepared to
fight the battles, and that would be based on their trust in Yahweh. After bringing them into the
promise land, God emphasized their unity in their covenant with Him, through their circumcision
and their celebration of the Passover festival.6

4.1. Ritual Preparation

Yahweh reminded them before they take the land of Canaan, to be faithful in their covenant with
him by having the rituals of circumcision and the Passover festival. This ritual would remind
them through Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; 15; 17) and deliverance from their slavery in Egypt. Now
Yahweh was ready to deliver them into the promise land. But Israel had failed to circumcise their
sons. Because, circumcision was the sing of the Abrahamic covenant and it was required by
Yahweh.7

5. Conditions in Canaan
3
[N.A], “The Biblical narration of the Conquest of Canaan.” [Link]
and-history (accessed on 07/08/2024).
4
Yigael Yadin, “ Biblical Archaelogy Society Library.’’ [Link]
biblical-account-of-the-israelite-conquest-of-canaan-historically-reliable/ (accessed pn 07/08/2024).
5
[N.A], “Associates for Biblical Resreach”,
6
For a further discussion see David M. Howard. Joshua, pp.29-30. see also B.S Childs. “ A Study of the
Formula, p.292.
7
Donald H. Madvig. “Joshua.” In Deuteronomy-2Samuel, p.281.
The promise land was under the control of people who live in city, for the people of God
conquest and occupation seemed like a difficult and impossible mission. The Canaanite were
polytheistic in their religion. Archaeologists have pointed out that the evidence of Canaanite
culture of Joshua’s time indicates that the people practice child sacrifice, religious prostitution,
and snake worship in their religious rites and ceremonies.8

6. The conquest of Canaan

The Canaanites were the people of Canaan, the older native name of Palestine. As a
geographical designation, the Hebrew form of “Canaan” seems to be derived from “Hurrian”,
meaning “belonging to the land of red purple”. As early as fourteenth century BC this tern came
to be used in the Canaanite. By the time of conquest, the tern Canaan was in vogue (rage/ mode
trend) as the general designation of the ground. According to Judges 1:9; 10, they were
practically everywhere, in the hill country like the Negev, Shephelah, and Hebron.9

Joshua came to this responsible position of Leadership with a background of experience and
training under Moses’ guidance. At Rephidim (in the wilderness) Joshua led the Israelite in
victory, turn away from the Amalekite attack (Exo17:8-16). 10Joshua was assured of success. He
is the one who careful in the instructions of the book of the Law which had been given through
Moses. In the great centers on the Nile and the Tigris there was always an active movement of
religious and cultural elements which tented to create an invisible synthesis.11

The Israelite had to believe the Lord in order to take possession of the land. They need to have
circumcised hearts and had to demonstrate that faith by obeying the Lord’s commandments,
including his commandments for hoe to take the land from the Canaanite (10:12-20). When the
Israelite believed God and lived out their faith by following God’s orders given through his
appointed leader Joshua. They captured the central portion of Canaan and many cities in the
north and south of the land (Joshua 11:23); (Joshua 13:1-7). The list kings defeated under Joshua
found in Joshua12 confirms that Israel possessed Canaan.12

6.1 The Conquest of Model

The conquest model is close to the traditional belief. The Israelite came out of Egypt during a
span of a few three years under the potential leadership of Joshua. The conquest Model is
8
G. Ernest Wright and Floyd [Link], ‘’ The Westminster Historical Atlas of the Bible” (Philadelphia:
Westminster Press, 1956), p.34.
9
[N.A], [Link] (accessed on10, August, 2024).
10
Ibid, p.35.
11
For a discussion of the possibility that the city of Bethel was included in this conquest, see Schultz, The
Old Testament speaks, p.97.
12
[N.A], “ An incomplete Conquest” [Link]
(accessed on 10, August,2024).
generally associated with W.F. Albright. He insists that the Israelite were the people religiously
and ethnically different from the Canaanite. The Israelite came out of Egypt and invaded Canaan.
The main process of the conquest was a successful military invasion by a unified people different
from the Canaanites as the book of Joshua describes.13

7. Canaanite Culture and Religious

7.1. The Canaanite’s culture

The Israelite tribes during the period of the guidance and leadership of Moses and Joshua mainly
had to contend with wandering tribes. The Canaanites, with whom the Israelites came into during
the conquest by Joshua and the period of the Judges. They were a sophisticated (cultured)
agricultural and urban people. The Canaanite were engaged and adapted in many cultures.14

7.2. The Canaanite’s Religious

The religious of the Canaanites was an agricultural religion, with evident luxuriance treatments.
Their main gods were called the Baalim (Lords), and their groups are Baalot (Ladies), and
Asherah (Singular). The Baalim and Baalot, gods and goddesses of the Earth, they were believed
to be the regeneration of the forces of nature upon which agriculture depended. The Canaanites
and Israelites began to live in closer contact with each other, the Faith of Israel tended to engage
some of the concepts and practices of the Canaanite religion. Some Israelites began to name their
children after the Baalim.15

8. Theological Implication

We can see that God is righteous throughout his Judgment. God brought his people from their
enemies. God promised to his chosen nation, to conquer the land of Canaan. As He promised it
was fulfilled in the time of Joshua. In their journey they have to obey him, He is Faithful
promised keeper. Every Christian must obey whatever the bible tells us, because by obeying we
can be faithful for the creator. God has been faithful to the promise of the land.

Conclusion

By Study this subject, we can see the faithfulness of God and his faithful promised. The Author
have been dwelt the conquest of Canaan in above. Not only that the author also dwelt in the
opening of the writing, with historical contexts and Biblical narrative. The conquest of Canaan
is not a myth, rather it is historical events. It is able to seen in the book of Joshua and Judges.
13
W.F. Albright ”Britannica” [Link]
%20(born%20May (accessed on 10, August,2024).
14
Robert M. Grant, Krister stendahl, ‘’In Biblical Literature in the Old Testament Literature”.
[Link] (accessed on 10, August,2024).
15
Ibid,.
1230-1175 BCE

Evidence – Joshua 1-11, Judge 1, by Ernest Wright

Place _ Debir, Bethel, Hager, Lachish