במדבר, פרק ל״ג, פסוק נ״ג

Entering the Promised Land is much more than a military conquest; it is a deep spiritual and practical process of replacing one culture with another. The instructions given to the Israelites tie the physical capture of the territory to the long-term goal of settlement, creating a direct link between cleansing the environment and building a stable future.

There are different ways to understand the core instruction of taking the land. One perspective views it primarily as a directive to drive out and clear away the current inhabitants [רש״י, מזרחי, שפתי חכמים, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. According to this approach, living in the land is not a separate command but a conditional promise. The Israelites will only be able to live securely if they first expel the local nations. If they fail to do so, their own survival in the land will be at risk [רש״י, רבנו בחיי, גור אריה]. The simple reading supports this idea, as the focus remains heavily on the act of taking possession rather than the act of dwelling [אור החיים].

A contrasting major view understands this as a clear, ongoing Commandment for all generations to inherit and hold the land. The Israelites are instructed to conquer and settle the Land of Israel specifically, and they are forbidden from conquering other lands, such as Babylon or Assyria, to settle there. This directive forms the legal foundation for the immense importance of the Commandment to settle the Land of Israel, so much so that later sages ruled one spouse can compel the other to move there [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך].

Beyond the immediate conquest, removing the current inhabitants ensures the safety of future generations. The Israelites will only earn the right to pass the land down to their children if they clear out the foreign nations and wipe away every trace of idol worship. As long as idolatry remains, any settlement is considered deeply flawed [ספורנו, הכתב והקבלה, רש ר הירש]. Because God gave the land exclusively to Israel, it is strictly forbidden to live there alongside idol worshippers or to leave any idolatry intact [מלבי״ם].

The promise that God is giving them the land also addresses a deep psychological fear. Seeing the destruction of the Canaanite nations, the Israelites might worry that the land naturally destroys its inhabitants. They are therefore reassured that the previous nations perished due to their many sins, and that the land is a direct gift from God [רלב״ג]. However, this divine gift does not mean the territory is simply handed over without effort. It is a complete gift that must be legally acquired through the physical act of living in it. This living cannot be casual; it must be done with the conscious intention of taking ownership and possession [העמק דבר].