בראשית, פרק י׳, פסוק י״ח

The final records of Canaan’s descendants offer a map of the ancient world, tracing the historical and geographical shifts of early nations. The names listed represent powerful ancient kingdoms and city states scattered across the regions of Phoenicia and Syria [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Among these early powers were the people of Arvad, who inhabited a small island city off the Phoenician coast that became famous for its maritime trade [שד״ל, קאסוטו, אם למקרא]. Further inland, the Zemarites settled in an ancient city north of Arqa [שד״ל, קאסוטו]. The Hamathites established themselves in the city or region of Hamath in Aram [שד״ל, אם למקרא]. Some identify this specific location as Lebo-Hamath, a central point that would eventually mark the northern border of the Promised Land [קאסוטו]. Interestingly, a unique perspective suggests that these specific groups fade from the biblical record because they were destroyed shortly after settling. In this view, the Philistines conquered their territories and entirely replaced them [ביאור יש״ר].

Over time, the descendants of Canaan experienced a significant geographical expansion. The primary approach among commentators is that this was a natural process of population growth. As the original families multiplied, they established numerous new settlements and spread far beyond their initial borders [רש״י, מזרחי, שפתי חכמים, שד״ל]. Consequently, the term "Canaanite" evolved into a broad category that included all these newer, smaller families and towns [אם למקרא, קאסוטו].

However, a different school of thought argues that this dispersion was not peaceful. Instead, it was a forced scattering driven by war, foreign invasions, or exile. The Canaanite families were pushed from their homes, perhaps even expelled by the land itself as a result of their sins [מלבי״ם, ביאור יש״ר, רש ר הירש, אם למקרא]. Another perspective links this migration directly to the dispersion at the Tower of Babel. According to this view, the Canaanite families migrated from their original home in the east, wandering until they reached the territory that would eventually bear their name [רד״ק, קאסוטו]. Yet, despite this widespread movement, they did not scatter across the entire globe. Their expansion remained confined to a specific region, firmly kept within the clear and defined geographical borders of Canaan [גור אריה, לבוש האורה].