A brief article from the University of Tel Aviv.. on the "conquest of Canaan". http://www.myjewishlearning.com/his...9_BCE/Social_History/Conquest_of_Canaan.shtml Conquering Canaan Joshua and Judges present different versions of the Israelite conquest. By Yair Hoffman The following article is reprinted with permission from A Historical Atlas of the Jewish People edited by Eli Barnavi and published by Schocken Books. The Books of Numbers and Deuteronomy recount how the Israelites captured territories east of the Jordan River which were later settled by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh. The Book of Joshua then presents the "official" biblical version of the conquest and settlement of the Promised Land. The people of Israel, assembled on the eastern banks of the Jordan, were ready to cross the river and conquer the land of Canaan. Joshua son of Nun, Moses' successor, first sent spies and, encouraged by their report about the fear of the Canaanites, immediately decided to attack Jericho, the strongest town in the area. The miraculous fall of Jericho opened the road inland. Joshua led his people southward, then towards the hills of Judea, and later to the north, in a series of successful campaigns crowned by the conquest of Hazor--the strongest town in the north. The capture of Shechem is not mentioned, but the Bible states that once the conquest was completed, the people of Israel gathered there for a national assembly, an indication that Shechem was already in the hands of the tribes of Israel. The historical validity of this account of the conquest is highly dubious. Analysis of other biblical texts reveals many discrepancies. The Book of Judges recounts separate campaigns by individual tribes; and, although it places the events after Joshua's death, they constitute in fact a different version of the story of the conquest. The Book of Joshua describes a well‑organized campaign of a people united by a common national goal, while the Book of Judges reports many separate battles against Canaanite peoples waged by individual tribes or by temporary alliances of several tribes, enlarging their territories at the expense of their neighbors. Furthermore, according to the Book of Joshua, the entire country was taken by the Israelites, while the Book of Judges reveals that one of the severe problems of the tribes was the constant struggle with Canaanite enclaves which successfully retained their independence. Finally, in the period covered by the Book of Judges, the tribes were headed by local commanders (the "judges"), and there was no single national leader. The editor of the Book of Judges regarded this as a sign of social disintegra(*)tion following the death of Joshua--divine punishment for lapses of idolatry. Modern scholars, however, believe that the state of anarchy reflected in the Book of Judges is closer to the true historical process of the colonization of Canaan. Finally, archeological research has found no traces of any sudden violent destruction of the major Canaanite towns. Jericho, for example, was clearly not destroyed in the time of Joshua. On the other hand, excavations reveal that many small settlements began emerging on the outskirts of the existing Canaanite towns, not in place of them. Dwelling structures and pottery typical of semi‑nomadic people indicate a long process of colonization rather than a short war of total conquest. On the basis of such evidence, modern scholarship offers three basic theories concerning the conquest and settlement of the land. The first two accept in essence the historical truth of the Exodus story; one suggests two major waves of emigration from Egypt, reaching Canaan separately within several decades and occupying the land; the second theory proposes a continuous flow of migration from nomadic tribes from Egypt through Sinai, and also from Mesopotamia, which gathered around common religious centers, forged alliances in times of crisis, and eventually consolidated into one nation. The third model is far more "Canaanite" and underplays the importance of foreign ethnic elements. According to this view, the nucleus of the nation of Israel was comprised of slaves and oppressed people in Canaan who abandoned their masters and settled outside the towns. They were perhaps joined over the years by nomadic tribes from the Sinai desert, but these could not have been many. In any event, all of the oppressed elements combined to rise against their former lords and took over the land. In the process they evolved into a national society which invented for itself the tradition of a common past. Yair Hoffman is a Professor of Bible at Tel Aviv University
ORIGINS OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH Let's start out by taking a look at -GENESIS 29: 35 : ..."And she (Leah) conceived again, and bore a son; and she said, This time I will honour YHWH; therefore she called his name Judah (Yehudah); and then she ceased bearing"... -GENESIS 29: 35 Please Take Note: ..."This time I (Leah) will honour YHWH; therefore she called his name Judah (Yehudah)"... The name Judah (Yehudah) means: Honourable; and is spelled in Canaanite letters as: *Yodh, He, Waw, Dalet, He* (YHWDH) and pronounced as: Yay-hoo-dah. The 4th son of Jacob (Israel) was given the name Judah (Yehudah) by his mother Leah. He became known as the progenitor of the Israelitic tribe called : 1.) The sons of Judah 2.) The House of Judah 3.) The People of Judah 4.) The Judeans 5.) Judah Leah surely gave him that name naming him after the Canaanite city called Jehud (Yehud) -JOSHUA 19: 45. Judah (Yehudah) was in fact Syrian (Aramean). All of the Sons of Jacob (Israel) were Syrian (Aramean), including Dinah, his only daughter. Benjamin being the only son born in the land of Canaan. Judah (Yehudah) later separated from his Syrian (Aramean) brothers, who at that particular time were living at Dothan (which is about twenty-five miles north of Shechem in the land of Canaan). From Dothan Judah (Yehudah) went down to the South Country -GENESIS 38: 1. There in Southren Canaan, Judah (Yehudah) married a Canaanite woman who gave birth to three of his sons, whose names are: 1.) Er 2.) Onan 3.) Shelah Who were born to him in Chezib -GENESIS 38: 1-5). Judah (Yehudah) seemed to have prefered Canaanite women from Southren Canaan, over Syrian (Aramean) women. He even chose himself Tamar (traditionally a Canaanitess) of Southren Canaan, to be the wife of his first-born son Er -GENESIS 38: 6. Judah's (Yehudah's) first-born son Er, while he was married to Tamar died without having any offspring. Onan (the second son of Judah) was then told by his father to perform the duty of a brother-in-law to Tamar (the wife of his elder brother Er), and raise up offspring to his brother Er (this is called Levirate Marriage) -GENESIS 38: 7-8. When Er's brother Onan refused to be a husband to Tamar and died, Tamar returned to her own Canaanite family who lived in Southren Canaan, with Judah's (Yehudah's) promise that she should have his third son Shelah when he was old enough -GENESIS 38: 9-11. When this promise was not fulfilled and Judah's (Yehudah's) wife died, Tamar seduced Judah (Yehudah) by veiling her identity and pretending to be a harlot of the heathen worship cult -GENESIS 38: 12-19. Tamar became pregnant by Yehudah (Judah) and when Yehudah (Judah) was going to have her put to death, Tamar revealed that she had conceived by Judah (Yehudah) himself. She showed the pledges Judah (Yehudah) had given her -GENESIS 38: 20-25. Judah (Yehudah) was convicted by the wrong he had done to her and Tamar was spared -GENESIS 38: 26. One of the twins born to Tamar was Perez (Phares or Pharez), who through Judah (Yehudah) was in the direct line of the ancestry of David, and Hence of Yosha (Jesus) -MATTHEW 1: 3-6, and -LUKE 3: 31-33. As plainly seen, Judah (Yehudah) was the first to separate from his Syrian (Aramean) brothers and to dwell in Southren Canaan, and marry, and have offspring with Canaanite women from the South of Canaan. Judah (Yehudah), who was Syrian (Aramean), was the progenitor of the original tribe of Judah (Yehudah). He did not have his origins in Southren Canaan as did his offspring. The five sons of Judah (Yehudah) were native born Canaanites : 1.) Er ( who died) 2.) Onan ( who died) 3.) Shelah 4.) Perez (Phares or Pharez) 5.) Zerah Their mothers were all Canaanite women of Southren Canaan. Judah's (Yehudah's) first two sons died. The descendants of Shelah, Perez (Phares or Pharez), and Zerah, were native born Canaanites. These facts concerning the origins of the tribe of Judah (Yehudah), must honestly and humbly be faced by all today who claim roots in the tribe of Judah (Yehudah). Yes! the Holy Scriptures tell us that the foremothers of the tribe of Judah (Yehudah), were infact, all Canaanite woman of Southern Canaan. http://comeyouout.hubpages.com/hub/Canaanite-Roots-Of-The-Tribe-Of-Judah
Margot , its very unfair of you to post historical facts abt the Levant relating to a period prior to the Chosen People's history, Facts abt a period which will offend our Zionists friends who are trying so hard to justify Modern day Israeli expulsion/tranfer of non-Jewish Palestinians. Conquest of the land of Canaan has been deleted from Zionist history and any mention of it is strictly forbidden + excluded from the "Israeli Defenders Handbook " and Hasbara Instruction Manual. , , you anti-semite !. No wonder the pro-Israel camp are avoiding this thread. btw ... thx for enlightening us. (wink) ...
