Calling for Peace in the Conquest of Canaan/1
Calling for Peace in the Conquest of Canaan
Introduction
Many verses throughout Torah speak of the need to rid the land of Israel of its Canaanite inhabitants. Perhaps the most explicit of these is Devarim 20. The chapter contrasts the nation's military obligations when fighting an "optional war" against distant cities and when conquering the Seven Nations of Canaan. Before embarking on the former it is necessary to first negotiate peace. If those overtures are rejected, war ensues and all men are killed, while women and children are left alive. When fighting in Canaan, in contrast, the verses teach:
(טז) רַק מֵעָרֵי הָעַמִּים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר י"י אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה לֹא תְחַיֶּה כׇּל נְשָׁמָה. (יז) כִּי הַחֲרֵם תַּחֲרִימֵם הַחִתִּי וְהָאֱמֹרִי הַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַפְּרִזִּי הַחִוִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ י"י אֱלֹהֶיךָ.
(16) Howbeit of the cities of these peoples, that the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth, (17) but thou shalt utterly destroy them: the Hittite, and the Amorite, theCanaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee;
At first glance, it seems
