יהושע, פרק י״א, פסוק כ׳

The relationship between divine intervention and the harsh realities of war becomes strikingly clear when the stubbornness of an enemy is understood as a deliberate act of God. The refusal of the Canaanites to surrender was not merely a display of human pride, but a divine decree designed to seal their ultimate fate. This intervention guaranteed their complete destruction, leaving absolutely no room for pardon or compassion.

The primary approach among commentators explains that God chose to harden the hearts of the Canaanites for two main reasons. First, this was a direct punishment for their long history of wickedness. Their sins had reached a breaking point, making them no longer worthy of God's mercy, much like the hardening of Pharaoh's heart in Egypt. Second, this divine intervention ensured that the Israelites would fully carry out the Commandment to wipe out the inhabitants of the land. If the Canaanites had survived and remained, they would have eventually led the Israelites into sin [רד״ק, מלבי״ם].

Another perspective focuses on how this divine intervention prevented human compassion from altering the outcome. God planted a false belief within the Canaanites, leading them to think they were engaging in a standard military conflict against a regular human nation. They completely failed to understand that they were actually fighting against God Himself. By strengthening their resolve, God prevented them from surrendering or using deceit to save themselves, as the Gibeonites had done previously. Had the Canaanites come forward in submission, they might have awakened the pity of the Israelites, who would likely have spared their lives. Therefore, God ensured the Canaanites could find no favor or mercy in the eyes of the Israelites, leaving the Israelites entirely focused on the complete destruction that God had commanded [אלשיך, מצודת דוד].