Map of Canaan Before the Conquest

This map shows the Amorite and Canaanite nations before Israel conquered Sihon and Og. This page is a supplement to the Bible Survey: Section 3 study.

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Israel’s conquest east of the Jordan

Israel seems to have circled east around Edom and then cut west along the Brook of Zered. They turned north and traveled up through western Moab. They crossed the Brook of Arnon into Sihon’s territory and defeated him. This area had once belonged to Moab, but Sihon had taken it from them. Israel continued north and conquered Bashan. Then, they returned to the territory they’d taken from Sihon (called the plains of Moab). The Moabites felt threatened by Israel’s show of might. Balak, king of Moab, attempted to hire the prophet Balaam to curse Israel, but the plan failed. The Moabites and Midinianites, with whom the Moabites had shared their concerns about Israel, seduced Israel with idolatry and sexual immorality. The Midianites were a nomadic tribe probably living in or around Moab at the time.

Israel’s conquest west of the Jordan

Israel used Shittim in the plains of Moab as a base camp before invading Canaan. It was located across the Jordan River from Jericho. After they crossed the Jordan, they made Gilgal their base camp for the conquest. They conquered southern Canaan first, and then northern Canaan. The primary part of the conquest took about seven years (1406-1399 BC). After the conquest, Reuben, Gad, and part of Manasseh settled in the land they’d acquired east of the Jordan. Israel had control of the core part of the promised land, but the former inhabitants remained on the edges of the land and in strongholds within it. After Joshua and his generation died, the next generation failed to complete the mission to drive out the former inhabitants. Israel adopted the idolatry and sins of the Canaanites and were punished by God. Saul, Israel’s first king, had some success against the Philistines, a particularly strong nation on the Mediterranean coast. After him, King David finally completed the expulsion of the Canaanites during his reign from 1010 to 970 BC, setting up his son, Solomon, for a period of peace of prosperity. It was during Solomon’s reign that the entire realm promised to Abraham was finally acquired (Gen. 15:18-21; 1 Kings 4:21).