To date we have seen in the stories of Rahab and the Gibeonites, as well as the later example of Ruth, (Parts 6-8) God’s apparent absolutes do not exclude grace. In each of these examples people who appear to have been condemned without mercy come under God’s protection.
There is no doubt that in the conquest of Canaan battles took place, people were killed, and Israel settled in the land. That may raise some ethical questions, but the issue discussed to date is that of genocide.Did God demand genocide?
In Part 5 I proposed one of two tests to the charge of genocide: the civil standard of more likely than unlikely; or the criminal standard of beyond reasonable doubt. Neither our legal system or faith demand the absence of any doubt. So let's look at further evidence.
Before they crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land the Israelites had been attacked by the Amorite kings Sihon and Og. The Israelites emerged victorious and took possession of the land of these kings (Numbers 21:21-35). Believing this land suited their requirements the tribes of Gad and Reuben requested they be granted this land in lieu of what lay on the other side of the river. Moses agreed to this request on the condition that their fighting men, along with those of the half tribe of Manasseh who were also granted land in the same region, go with the rest of the tribes and fight with them until the mission was accomplished (Num 32:1-42).
Joshua reminded them of this requirement as the tribes prepared to cross the Jordan. We see, in Joshua 1:14-15 their warriors were to lead the way.
Your wives, children, and cattle may remain here on the east side of the Jordan River, but your warriors, fully armed, must lead the other tribes across the Jordan to help them conquer their territory. Stay with them until the LORD gives rest to them as he has given rest to you, and until they, too, possess the land the LORD your God is giving them. Only then may you settle here on the east side of the Jordan River in the land that Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave you.
Now the text seems quite clear. The Gadite, Reubenite and Manassite warriors were to remain with the others until they also possessed the land they had been promised. In chapter 21:43-45 it seems the mission is completed.
So the Lord gave to Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. 44 And the Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the Lord helped them conquer all their enemies. 45 Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true.
Their duty done, the fighting men of the Gadites, Reubanites and Manassites were sent home to be reunited with their families.
Then Joshua called together the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 2 He told them, “You have done as Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded you, and you have obeyed every order I have given you.3 During all this time you have not deserted the other tribes. You have been careful to obey the commands of the Lord your God right up to the present day. 4 And now the Lord your God has given the other tribes rest, as he promised them. So go back home to the land that Moses, the servant of the Lord, gave you as your possession on the east side of the Jordan River. 5 But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” 6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went home. (Joshua 22:1-6)
However things were not as one would expect. Consider the following.
Jebusites
Listed in chapter 11 as one of the coalition defeated by Joshua (v3). Of this victory it is said that ‘not one enemy warrior was left alive’ (v8). In Joshua 15:63 the Jebusites are still living in Jerusalem because the tribe of Judah was unable to drive them out. It was not until the time of David that the Israelites took Jerusalem from them (1 Chronicles 11:4-7).
The Negev
Joshua 11:16 records Joshua’s defeat of the ‘entire Negev’ and ‘the western foothills. Again they were ‘completely destroyed without mercy’ (v.24). But in Judges 1, after the death of Joshua, we find the tribe of Judah defeating these same people (Judges 1:19).
Debir
In Joshua 10:38, 39 we read the town of Debir, ‘its king, and all of its surrounding villages’ were ‘completely destroyed … leaving no survivors’. Again, in Judges 1 we find that Debir is sacked by ‘Othniel, the son of Caleb’s younger brother, Kenaz …’ (v.11-13).
In fact, when one reads Chapters 10-12 of Joshua it gives the impression that the Canaanites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Hivites, with the exception of the residents of Gibeon, had been completely destroyed. And this is what a casual reading would lead us to believe if ‘all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel’ had been fulfilled and ‘everything he had spoken came true (Joshua 21:45).
But that is not what we find. Judges 1, which follows Joshua's death, notes the following:
- 21 The tribe of Benjamin, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live in Jerusalem among the people of Benjamin.
- 27 The tribe of Manasseh failed to drive out the people living in Beth-shan, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and all their surrounding settlements, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that region.
- 29 The tribe of Ephraim failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, so the Canaanites continued to live there among them.
- 30 The tribe of Zebulun failed to drive out the residents of Kitron and Nahalol, so the Canaanites continued to live among them.
- 31 The tribe of Asher failed to drive out the residents of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob.32 Instead, the people of Asher moved in among the Canaanites, who controlled the land, for they failed to drive them out.
- 33 Likewise, the tribe of Naphtali failed to drive out the residents of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath. Instead, they moved in among the Canaanites, who controlled the land.
- 34 As for the tribe of Dan, the Amorites forced them back into the hill country and would not let them come down into the plains. 35 The Amorites were determined to stay in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim, but when the descendants of Joseph became stronger, they forced the Amorites to work as slaves.
It is quite clear that although the author of Joshua at 21:43-45 considered God had fulfilled His promise. So how do we account for the language of complete annihilation? The answer is that the writer of Joshua used the war rhetoric that was common at the time. Rather than discuss that further I will refer you to following link:
The evidence presented to date shows that those Canaanites who chose to place themselves under God’s protection were spared. It also seems clear that the author of Joshua considered ‘all the good promises the Lord’ had been fulfilled despite the evidence that the ‘enemy’ remained in the land and that Israel had not taken it all.
Therefore, I suggest, the charge of genocide at either standard is not proven.
What then are we to make of Joshua? In future posts I will explore this further.
Bible quoted: New Living Translation
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