Lives of Scripture
Canaan
The land between the Mediterranean and the Jordan promised to Abraham's descendants (Genesis 12:5-7; 15:18-21), named for Noah's grandson whose descendants settled it (Genesis 9:18; 10:15-19). Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived there as resident foreigners without owning it outright, apart from the burial cave at Machpelah. After the exodus, Joshua led Israel's conquest and settlement of Canaan, dividing it among the twelve tribes (Joshua 1-12; 13-21) — a land whose Canaanite population's idolatry and practices Israel was repeatedly warned not to adopt. "Canaan" as a name for the land largely gives way to "Israel" once the tribes are settled, though it remains the standard term for the pre-conquest and patriarchal-era territory throughout Genesis.
References: Genesis 9:18; Genesis 12:5; Genesis 15:18-21; Joshua 1-12
People connected to Canaan
- Abraham (M) — called to this land and given it by covenant for his offspring
Genesis 12:5-7
- Esau (M) — Isaac's elder son, who moved out of this land to settle in Seir
Genesis 36:6-8
- Hagar (F) — Sarah's servant, given to Abram in this land to bear a son
Genesis 16:3
- Isaac (M) — born and lived his whole life in this land
Genesis 26:1-6
- Ishmael (M) — Abram's son by Hagar, born in this land
Genesis 16:15-16
- Joseph (M) — sold by his brothers out of this land into slavery in Egypt
Genesis 37:12-28
- Joshua (M) — led Israel across the Jordan to conquer and divide this land
Joshua 1:2-6; Joshua 11:23
- Judah (M) — Jacob's fourth son, who married and raised sons in this land
Genesis 38:1-5
- Lot (M) — came to this land with Abram, then chose the Jordan plain
Genesis 13:11-12
- Perez (M) — son of Judah, born in this land, an ancestor of David
Genesis 38:29
- Sarah (F) — came to this land with Abraham and was buried at Machpelah
Genesis 23:2; Genesis 23:19
Also named in Scripture at Canaan: Asher (M), Benjamin (M), Bilhah (F), Canaan (M), Dan (M), Eleazar (M), Ephraim (M), Er (M), Gad (M), Gaddi (M), Gaddiel (M), Geuel (M), Issachar (M), Leah (F), Levi (M), Naphtali (M), Onan (M), Phinehas (M), Rachel (F), Reuben (M), Shelah (M), Simeon (M), Tamar (M), Zebulun (M), Zelophehad (M), Zilpah (F).