A farmer carefully prepares the soil before planting a precious vine, ensuring it has the perfect environment to thrive. In much the same way, God meticulously readied the Land of Israel for the arrival of the Israelites. This process unfolded in three distinct stages: clearing the ground, allowing the people to take deep root, and finally witnessing their widespread growth.
The first step required clearing the area of what was already there [מצודת ציון]. The primary approach among commentators is that God removed the previous inhabitants, who were entrenched in idol worship, to create a safe space where the Israelites could grow without interference. Much like a farmer clearing rocks and stones from a field, God removed these wicked nations [אבן עזרא]. Some suggest this preparation was not limited to the borders of the land itself but extended to the surrounding nations, ensuring the new vine could expand securely [מלבי"ם].
God orchestrated this clearing process in various ways to ease the conquest for the Israelites. He planted a desire in the hearts of certain nations to willingly migrate to distant lands, and He dismantled the spiritual power of others years before the Israelites even arrived. The previous nations were merely physical obstacles on the surface; they never possessed a true spiritual connection to the holiness of the land [אלשיך].
Once the ground was prepared, the vine could establish deep and permanent roots [אבן עזרא]. Unlike the earlier inhabitants, who lived there as temporary residents estranged from the true essence of the region, the Israelites possessed an inherent, internal belonging to it. Their physical rooting in the earthly land perfectly mirrored the connection of their souls to their highest spiritual source. This dual grounding forged a profound union of holiness meeting holiness [אלשיך].
The direct result of this deep rooting was abundant growth. Anchored both spiritually and physically, the people multiplied, prospered, and expanded in every direction until they filled the entire land [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מלבי"ם]. Even though the spiritual core of the Israelites remained focused in a single holy center, such as Zion, their physical presence and success radiated outward, covering the length and breadth of the country [אלשיך].