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אל ארץ הכנעני וגו׳ TO THE LAND OF THE CANAANITE — And although it enumerates here only the five peoples, all the seven nations are implied (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:5:1) for all are included in the generic term Canaanite, although there was one of the races of Canaan which had no other name than that of Canaanite (whilst the other races had, beside the generic name Canaanite, some special designation as Hittite etc.: hence under the term Canaanite one may understand either the one race bearing this name or any of the other races. Here, therefore, the introductory word הכנעני alludes to the particular tribe so called and to the two others included in this generic term, or it may allude to three tribes included in the generic term. In either case we get the “seven peoples of Canaan”).

AND IT SHALL BE WHEN THE ETERNAL SHALL BRING THEE INTO THE LAND OF THE CANAANITE, AND THE HITTITE, AND THE AMORITE, AND THE HIVITE, AND THE JEBUSITE. “Although it enumerates here only five peoples, all of the seven nations³⁶⁹The five nations mentioned here and the Perizzite and the Girgashite. See Ramban above, 3:8. are implied. They are all included in [the generic term] Canaanite although there was one of the races which had no name other than that of Canaanite.”³⁷⁰Thus under the name Canaanite, one may understand either that particularly so-called nation or any of the other six nations who, besides bearing the generic name Canaanite, were also known as Hivites, etc. In the verse before us, the Canaanite thus refers to the particular nation and to the two other nations, i.e., the Perizzite and the Girgashite, which are not specifically mentioned here, since they are included in the generic name Canaanite. Thus the language of Rashi.
It is true that they are all included in [the generic term] Canaanite, for they were all his sons.³⁷¹Genesis 10:15-16. Therefore when Scripture says, And it shall be when the Eternal shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite, it alludes to all of the seven nations, and thus everywhere does Scripture make use of the term, “the land of Canaan.” But here, [according to Rashi’s interpretation], there is no reason why Scripture should mention most of them and yet leave some of them included in the term Canaanite!
In the opinion of our Rabbis,³⁷²In the Sifre mentioned further on in the text. the land of these five nations mentioned here was a land flowing with milk and honey, but not so the land of the remaining two nations [omitted here]. Therefore He gladdened them only with this land [of the five nations]. Thus the Rabbis taught in the Sifre with respect to first-fruits:³⁷³Sifre, Ki Thavo, 300. “And He hath given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.³⁷⁴Deuteronomy 26:9. Just as the land flowing with milk and honey mentioned elsewhere, [i.e., in the verse before us], refers to the land of the five nations, so also the land flowing with milk and honey mentioned here [in the case of the first-fruits] means the land of the five nations. Rabbi Yosei says that first-fruits are not brought from beyond the Jordan since it is not a land flowing with milk and honey.” Thus the land of the two nations, [the Perizzite and the Girgashite], were excluded from the law of first-fruits because theirs is not a land flowing with milk and honey, and for the same reason, Rabbi Yosei also excluded the land beyond the Jordan, which belonged to the Amorite.³⁷⁵Numbers 32:33. And the Amorite mentioned here [among the five nations whose land was flowing with milk and honey], is the Amorite who lived in the Land of Israel proper. A text similar [to the one in the Sifre] is found in the Mechilta on this chapter.
It is further taught in the Sifre:³⁷⁶Sifre, Shoftim, 164. “And they, [i.e., all the tribe of Levi], shall have no inheritance³⁷⁷Deuteronomy 18:2. — this refers to the inheritance of the five nations; Among their brethren — this refers to the inheritance of the two nations.” The Rabbis [of the Sifre] thus separated these five nations as different, because theirs was the main land which He promised them, for that was the land flowing with milk and honey. And Rashi, in the section of Shoftim V’shotrim, experienced difficulty in explaining this Beraitha.³⁷⁸Upon quoting the text of the Sifre — though with a different version — Rashi comments there: “I do not, however, know for certain what the Sifre means.” Rashi then proceeds to suggest his interpretation, and then mentions still another version of the text of the Sifre in question. The intent of Ramban’s words here that Rashi experienced difficulty in explaining this text in Deuteronomy 18:2 is thus clear. (See Note 209 above on the meaning of the word Beraitha.)
Now according to this opinion [that only the land of the five nations mentioned here was flowing with milk and honey], Scripture stated above, [And I am come down to deliver them… and to bring them up] unto a good and large Land, unto a Land flowing with milk and honey,³⁷⁹Above, 3:8. [and then proceeds to mention the five nations listed here as well as the Perizzite]. However, it does not add the Perizzite there on account of its land flowing with milk and honey, but because it was part of the good and large Land.
These are the six nations mentioned everywhere,³⁸⁰See further, 23:23 and 34:11. for the Girgashite, [the seventh nation], emigrated of his own accord, and is not mentioned in the Torah except in the verse: And He shall cast out many nations before thee, the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, seven nations.³⁸¹Deuteronomy 7:1. This is why He said many nations, [i.e., because all seven are mentioned]. And it is also written: But thou shalt surely destroy them: the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite,³⁸²Ibid., 20:17. but He did not mention the Girgashite, thus alluding to the fact that he would not war against the Israelites but instead would emigrate of his own accord.

והיה בי יביאך ה׳ אל ארע הכנעני, "It will be when G'd brings you to the land of the Canaanite, etc." The reason that this particular commandment is conditional on arrival in the Holy Land is either in accordance with what I have written on Exodus 12,25, or in order that the story of the Exodus should not be forgotten once the Israelites had lived in the Holy Land for many generations.

והיה כי יביאך ה' אל ארץ הכנעני, “It will be when the Lord will bring you to the land of the Canaanite,” according to Rashi all the land inhabited by the seven Canaanite tribes is included in this Nachmanides opines that this is self-evident, seeing no other tribes have ever been resident there. If anything is not clear, it is why only some (5) of the 10 tribes making up the Canaanite nation have been listed here? The view of our sages is that the lands occupied by the five tribes mentioned here is the area in the land of Israel which the Torah repeatedly describes as “the land flowing with milk and honey.” The other 2 tribes whose land was conquered by the Israelites under Joshua [not including 3 more tribes mentioned in the promise to Avraham in Genesis 15, 19-21. Ed.] was not as fruitful. Generally speaking, only six of the tribes are mentioned, as the 7th, גרגשי, according to tradition, preferred to emigrate rather than to confront Joshua militarily.

והיה כי יביאך ה', “It will be when the Lord brings you, etc.” This is already the commencement of the next paragraph which starts in verse 11. The first time the word יביאך is spelled plene, with the letter י in the middle; the second time, (verse 11) that letter י is missing. The first arrival in the land of Israel took place under the leadership of Joshua who fought ten wars (battles) before taking full possession. They were: Jericho, Ai, Giveon, Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglonah, Chevronah, Dvirah, Mey Marom. (they appear in Joshua 6,20; 8,24; 10,8; 10,28; 10,29; 10,31; 10,34; 10,38; 11,1) The letter י then is an allusion to these “ten=י wars.”
אשר נשבע לאבותיך, “which He had promised to your forefathers on oath.” The oath had been given to the patriarchs as the prophet said in Micah 7,20: “which You have sworn to our forefathers in days of yore.” The second time reference is made to the Holy Land, the word יבאך is spelled defectively, with the letter י in the centre missing. This is an allusion to Israel being gathered in from exile when no wars of conquest will be needed for them to resettle in the land. The repeated mention of G’d’s oath in that verse is also a reminder that the wonderful predictions and words of comfort by our prophets consoling us about our misfortunes and promising a better future will all be fulfilled. In verse eleven we find the additional words ונתנה לך, “and He will give it to you.” The message is that at that time the land will become a permanent gift to us never again to be taken away from us. The Torah speaks of a period which we have never experienced up until this date.
אל ארץ הכנעני, “to the land of the Canaanite, etc.” The land of Israel is here described as “the land of the Canaanite, seeing that Canaan was a cursed slave and it is legally impossible for such a slave to have title to any land. A slave can never take over property that belongs or belonged to his master. Seeing that the land of Israel by rights was given to the Jewish people, in the absence of the Jewish people G’d had to give it (temporarily) to such a cursed slave nation in order to ensure they could not establish legal title to that land while Israel was not around. It was similar to a king who has a minor son and who temporarily hands over his country to a regent pending his son becoming of age.

Who had no other name except “Canaanite.” Rashi is answering the question: Elsewhere, where all seven nations are enumerated, why is Canaan mentioned with them? There, it is unnecessary for Canaan to be mentioned in order to include other nations. Thus Rashi explains: “One among the family of Canaan. . .” (Re”m) Alternatively, Rashi is answering the question: Since all seven nations are included in “Canaan,” why did it need to say, “the Chittites, the Emorites. . .”? Just saying “Canaanite” should have sufficed. Rashi answers that one nation had no other name, thus if it would be written only “Canaanite” we would think [it means only that nation, and] the other nations were not included. Thus it is written “Canaanite” — and afterwards, “the Chittites, the Emorites. . .” so that we will ask why are only five nations enumerated. And then we will be compelled to answer that they are all included in “Canaanite.”

V. 5. אל ארץ הכנעני וגו׳, es werden hier nur fünf von den sieben Völkerschaften des Landes genannt. Nach מכילתא z. St. und כי תבוא ספרי (siehe רמב׳׳ן) war nur das Land dieser fünf hier erwähnten großer Fruchtbarkeit fähig. Vielleicht waren auch diese Völker die üppigsten und verderbtesten. Es wäre dann um so bezeichnender, dass nach dem erwähnten ספרי nur von dem Lande dieser Völker ביכורים gebracht werden. Wird ja in ביכורים der Segen des Landes dem Gesetze zu Füßen gelegt und damit das Zwiefache ausgesprochen, dass nur der Huldigung des Gesetzes der Segen verdankt und dieser Dank sich in treuer Verwirklichung des Gesetzes betätigen werde.

והיה כי יביאך, “it will be when Hashem will bring you, etc.” the Torah repeats that the prohibition to eat leavened products on Passover will remain in force also when the people are settled in their own country.

נשבע לאבתיך WHICH HE SWORE UNTO THY FATHERS — In the case of Abraham it says, (Genesis 15:18) “On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram [saying, To thy seed I will give this land]”; in the case of Isaac it says, (Genesis 26:3) “Sojourn in this land … [for to thee and to thy seed I will give all these countries]”; and in the case of Jacob it says, (Genesis 28:13) “the land wheron thou liest [to thee will I give it and to thy seed]” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:5:4).

Hashem made a covenant with Avram. . . You might ask: It says in Parshas Va’eira (6:3), “I revealed Myself to Avraham. . . as Almighty Shaddai, but My Name Ad-noy I did not make known to them.” [Thus, how could Hashem have used the Name Ad-noy to swear to Avram]? The answer is: Hashem gave Avram mere good tidings, [without yet keeping the promise. Whereas v. 6:3 means: “I was not recognized by them by My attribute of keeping trust,”] as explained there by Rashi. You might ask: If so, [that it was mere good tidings,] where did Hashem swear to Avram? The answer is: [It was good tidings accompanied by an oath. For] Hashem twice stated to Avram His words of promise, and this repetition constitutes an oath. For example it says, “As I swore regarding the floodwaters of Noach” (Yeshayah 54:10), regarding which Rashi comments in Parshas Noach (Bereishis 8:21), “We find in Scripture no oath regarding this, except for His repeating His words regarding this.” Rashi is referring to the words לא אוסיף which are written twice in that verse.

זבת חלב ודבש FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY — milk flows from the goats and honey flows from the dates and from the figs.

את העבודה הזאת THIS SERVICE — that of the Paschal offering. But has it not already been said above, (Exodus 12:25) “And it shall come to pass when ye be come into the land … [that ye shall keep this service]”? Why then does it repeat it again? On account of a new matter that is introduced here; viz., in the former chapter it says, (v. 26) “And it shall come to pass when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?” and there Scripture is speaking about a wicked son who excludes himself from the Israelite community (by saying ye, as though he does not wish to participate in the service), whilst here it states, (v. 8) “And thou shalt tell thy son”, referring to a son who does not know how to enquire, and Scripture teaches you that you yourself must open up the conversation with Agadic explanations which attract the heart (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:14:1; Shabbat 87a).