Theos-Talk Archives (October 2002 Message tt00127)

Larry F Kolts wrote:
> In the Bible, when the Children of Israel first came to Canaan during 
> the Exodus, they found a settled land. 

Actually, they lived there before they came to Egypt. Also, the land
was not entirely settled; there was plenty of unsettled area. According
to the Talmud, the Israelites left alone any group that agreed to leave
the Israelites alone (including the Moabites, the Philistines, and the
Samaritans, who DID exist back then). Only those who insisted on war got
it. The Amalekites, rather than fight the Israelites head-on, made a
sneak attack on the women and children; that is why they were ordered to
be destroyed entirely.

Bart Lidofsky