Destroying the Canaanites will really be the work of the Lord, for he will “drive [them] out” (7:1). The same Hebrew verb is also used for “loosening” or “taking off” a sandal (Exod. 3:5; Josh. 5:15); thus the Lord will free Israel from these seven nations just as one loosens a sandal from the foot. Elsewhere Canaan is listed as having eleven nations (Gen. 10:15–18), or ten (Gen. 15:19–21), six (Exod. 3:8; 33:2), or three (Exod. 23:28).

Israel is to “destroy them totally” (Hebrew haram, a verb meaning “to devote to the ban” or “to dedicate to destruction”). All the spoil belongs to the Lord and is banned from any human use. This principle is best illustrated in the Achan story (Josh. 7:1–26). This type of dedication is an involuntary dedication (the opposite of Rom. 12:1–2, which is a vo…