In the conquest of Canaan, did God command genocide? If so, does that justify national aggression today?
No, God did not command genocide, nor does the conquest of Canaan justify national aggression and war today. God’s overarching command was to “drive out” the inhabitants of Canaan. The biblical emphasis is not on Israel driving them out by their own strength or determination, but on God driving them out Himself (cf. Exodus 23:28-31; 33:2; Deuteronomy 7:22; 11:23; 18:12; Joshua 3:10; 13:6; 14:12; 23:9).
God gave two reasons to remove the Canaanites from the land: “because of the wickedness of these nations . . . that He may fulfill the word which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Deuteronomy 9:5).
In other words, Joshua’s conquest of Canaan reflects two divine attributes: God’s judgment on evil and His faithfulness to His promises. Both reasons originated in God’s promise of the land to Abraham when “the iniquity of the Amorites [was] not yet complete” (Genesis 15:16). So the conquest of Canaan is not a pattern for human warfare but reflects the unique prerogative and power of Almighty God alone.
That said, like the Flood and Sodom and Gomorrah stories, some examples in the conquest describe the destruction of every living soul. I assume that the question is directed to these verses:
And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep . . . with the edge of the sword. . . . And they struck all the people . . . with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was none left breathing (Joshua 6:21; 11:11).
Again, divine judgment on gross wickedness is in view. Still, the question reveals our struggle to accept and submit to the awesome sovereignty of God. Romans 9 says:
But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? (vv. 20, 21; cf. Job 33:13; 36:23; 42:2-6; 1 Corinthians 1:20; 1 Timothy 6:5).
Jesus says the same: “Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?” (Matthew 20:15).
God is good and righteous. Yes, He commanded Israel to drive out and destroy the Canaanites, but only after delaying judgment for four hundred years (Genesis 15:16). Plus, only those who resisted were destroyed. Others, like Rahab and the Gibeonites, were spared. In the end, Israel failed to drive out many of the inhabitants (Joshua 13:13; 15:63; 17:13).
Sometimes people judge God for His mercy. They see evil and say, “Why doesn’t God do anything?” But when God acts, as He did in Canaan for abominations like child sacrifice, people judge God for that too!
These stories of terrifying judgment point to the final judgment. God gives us time to repent, but judgment is coming. Second Peter 3:9-12 says that the promised day of the Lord’s wrath will come upon all evil. Why is it taking so long when the world is so evil? Because God is not willing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But judgment will come, just as it did on the evil Canaanites.
— Elder Chip Hinds
