Canaan/Canaanites

One of the old names for Palestine (now Israel); the land God promised to give to the descendants of Abraham. The people who lived there before the Israelites conquered it were called Canaanites.

Canaan was the grandson of Noah and the son of Ham. He was the ancestor of the people who later lived in the land of Canaan, which was named after him. This group included tribes of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Hivites, and others. They lived in well-developed cities, each with its own king, army, and taxes. The city-kingdoms often battled each other. The Canaanites worshipped many gods, including Baal. The Israelites had to conquer the Canaanites before they could live in peace in Canaan. But the Israelites never completely conquered them.