The People Israel and the "Promised Land"

"The Promised Land" - A biblical history of the Hebrew people and their struggle for land.

The Hebrew people had their faith and their history intertwined. Much of how they struggled for land can be seen in biblical history. Other sources of their history are based on archaeological evidences. This article will focus on the former: their struggle for land according to the Scriptures.

The Fertile Crescent

From the earliest times, the Fertile Crescent was already the scene of a fierce struggle for land. This coveted area was periodically invaded by peoples from Arabia, Asia Minor, the Caucasian highlands, or Egypt - peoples who sought a strip of the good earth to call their own, or who fought to expand their territory, at the expense of others. Palestine by virtue of its geographical location was inevitably drawn into this incessant conflict. This little country, sometimes called Canaan, was the place where small nations fought for living space, and where big nations fought their wars. It was in this little country that the Hebrews came. Like other people in the ancient world, they were at first a landless people. Their faith in Yahweh, their God, led them to conquer land in order to fulfill their historical destiny. This led them to engage in conflict with many Canaanite natives. It was their faith in Yahweh that helped them win.

The Conquest of Canaan

In the book of Deuteronomy, the elevation of Joshua to leadership was a factor in the conquest of Canaan (see Deuteronomy chapter 34 and the book of Joshua). In Joshua 1:1-9, we see Yahweh summoning Joshua to lead Israel across the Jordan into the Promised Land - a land extending from the southern wilderness to the high Lebanon ranges to the north...even beyond to the river Euphrates (see Genesis 15:18). Joshua is told that this segment of the Fertile Crescent will be Israel's land if they follow one condition: that the "book of the law" (the Deuteronomic Law) must be obeyed and studied diligently (Joshua 1:7-9). This is the key to success. Obedience to Yahweh's commands will be rewarded with victory and prosperity; but disobedience will bring the divine judgment of suffering and failure.

The Geography of Canaan

Canaan was the original name of the land that was in dispute between many peoples. (Palestine became its later name.) The most striking topographical feature of this land is the central backbone of hill country lying between the deep cleft of the Jordan and the coastland of the Mediterranean. The hill country is cut, in the area of Mount Carmel, by a valley known as Jezreel (or Esdraelon), which gives access to the Jordan Valley. In ancient times, the main military and commercial highway from Egypt to Mesopotamia (present day Iraq) ran along the coast, then turned into the Valley of Jezreel and veered northward to Damascus (in present day Syria). Important fortified cities were located along this route - notably Megiddo, which guarded the pass leading from the southern coastal plain into the Valley of Jezreel. Many decisive battles, both ancient and modern, have been fought for the control of this strategic pass and for the fertile valley.

Israel's Conquest of Canaan

Joshua 1-12 sets forth the dramatic story of the Israelite conquest of Canaan. In this story, we see how Joshua, through the help of Yahweh, won the land in three swift, decisive military campaigns. The whole land was given to the invading Israel tribes in a holy war "because Yahweh, the God of Israel, fought for Israel" (Joshua 10:42). The thoroughness of the conquest is detailed in Joshua 11:16-23. This story is the view of the Deuteronomistic historian, from which the traditions of this bibical narrative are sourced from. The writer uses these traditions: tribal stories, cultic legends, and maybe material from the Old Epic tradition that is also found in the other books of the Bible - Genesis, Exodus, and Numbers.

Evidence from Archaeology

With regard to the situation in Canaan (Palestine), the archaeological picture is blurred. On one hand, there is clear evidence that some fortified cities were violently destroyed, as indicated by layers of ash. On the other hand, some fortified cities that Joshua took, according to what the bible says, were not destroyed. This archaeological period is said to be the transition from the Late Bronze period (c. 1550-1200 B.C.E.) to the Early Iron period (c. 1200-900 B.C.E.). According to Joshua 6:24, Jericho was burned to the ground. However, archaeological investigation shows that the wall which supposedly "came tumbling down" actually dates back to the third millenium B.C.E. (before the Common Era) and was destroyed in the middle of the sixteenth century. Though this archaeological evidence may blur our knowledge of what the bible says of Israel's conquest of Canaan, we must see that archaeological evidences are meant to shed light on the truth and not to prove or disprove the biblical record.

Related resources:

"Understanding the Old Testament", by Bernhard W. Anderson