The leading directions as to the disposal of the Canaanites, are mainly in the following passages, Exod. xxiii. 23-33, and 33-51, and 34, 11—Deut. vii. 16-25, and ix. 3, and xxxi. 3, 1, 2. In these verses, the Israelites are commanded to “destroy the Canaanites”—to “drive out,”—“consume,”—“utterly overthrow,”—“put out,”—“dispossess them,” &c. Quest. Did these commands enjoin the unconditional and universal destruction of the individuals, or merely of the body politic? Ans. The Hebrew word Haram, to destroy, signifies national, as well as individual destruction; political existence, equally with personal; the destruction of governmental organization, equally with the lives of the subjects. Besides, if we interpret the words destroy, consume, overthrow, &c., to mean personal destruction, what meaning shall we give to the expressions, “drive out before thee;” “cast out before thee;” “expel,” “put out,” “dispossess,” &c., which are used in the same passages?
For a clue to the sense in which the word "destroy" is used, see Exodus xxiii. 27. “I will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee.” Here “all their enemies” were to turn their backs, and “all the people” to be “destroyed”. Does this mean that God would let all their enemies escape, but kill all their friends, or that he would first kill “all the people” and THEN make them turn their backs in flight, an army of runaway corpses?