The biblical name of one of Ham's sons (Gen. 10:6) and the ancient name of the southern part of Syria and of Eretz Israel, whose inhabitants were called Canaanites. According to the Bible, God promised the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants. Its borders are not clearly defined: in some instances the name signifies a large area embracing Transjordan, southern Syria and eastern Sinai (Num. 34:2–12); in others, it refers only to a Mediterranean coastal strip. Before Joshua's conquest of the land, the twelve scouts sent by Moses depicted the Canaanites as a powerful people, living in well-fortified cities, cultivating rich, fertile soil. Canaan consisted of many small kingdoms (see Josh. 12), which facilitated the Israelite conquest (c. thirteenth century BCE).
