History of Canaan

The Inhabitants of Canaan:

 The land of Canaan was inhibited by several tribes; these are the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites

The land with seven enemies to be conquered for each tribe of Israel led by the command by the Lord and Joshua was the prime focus.

"And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites." (Exodus 3:8).

God's Covenant with the Israelites

God made it mandatory that, what the Israelites should do with the inhabitants of the land, how they should lead a life pure for God.

"For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh King of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. But those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction; he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him. (Deuteronomy 7:6-10).

Do not Inter-Marry

"When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drive 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. Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons." (Deuteronomy 7:1-3)

The Neighboring Territories of Canaan:

The following are the neighboring territories who often fought with Israelites, whenever they walk away from the word of God they will be oppressed by, one of the surrounding enemies.  

Egypt, Edom, Moab, Ammonites, Philistines, Tyre and Sidon

"This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from My hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink from it. And they will drink and stagger and go out of their minds, because of the sword that I will send among them. So I took the cup from the LORD’s hand and made all the nations drink from it, each one to whom the LORD had sent me, to make them a ruin, an object of horror and contempt and cursing, as they are to this day—Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and officials; Pharaoh king of Egypt, his officials, his leaders, and all his people; all the mixed tribes; all the kings of Uz; all the kings of the Philistines: Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod; Edom, Moab, and the Ammonites; all the kings of Tyre and Sidon; the kings of the coastlands across the sea; Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who cut the corners of their hair; all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mixed tribes who dwell in the desert; all the kings of Zimri, Elam, and Media; all the kings of the north, both near and far, one after another—all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. And after all of them, the king of Sheshach will drink it too. (Jeremiah 25:17-25).

Archeological study of these land showcases altars for other gods in the land, inscriptions describing the practice of the land, like child sacrifice to Molech (Jeremiah 32:35). God knew that these inhabitants of the land will lead people astray, he warned them to destroy them, which they didn't give ear to.Being the righteous God he judged the select by his truth.