וּכְנַ֗עַן יָלַ֛ד אֶת־צִידֹ֥ן בְּכֹר֖וֹ וְאֶת־חֵֽת׃
און כְּנַעַן האָט געבאָרן צידון זײַן בכור, און חֵתן,
Rabbeinu Bahya
ויקם אברהם מעל פני מתו...וידבר אל בני חת, “Avraham rose up from the presence of his dead and he spoke to the Hittites, etc.” The local inhabitants were members of the tribe of the Hittites. The Torah had reported in Genesis 10,15 that Chet (Heth) was one of the sons of Canaan. All of the tribes residing in the land described as the “land of Canaan,” were sons of Canaan, the grandson of Noach.
The Torah taught us something concerning good manners, namely, that if one addresses an assembly of people one needs to be standing upright rather than sitting down. The Torah repeats the formula ויקם אברהם, “Avraham rose, etc.” again in verses 7-8.
The Torah taught us something concerning good manners, namely, that if one addresses an assembly of people one needs to be standing upright rather than sitting down. The Torah repeats the formula ויקם אברהם, “Avraham rose, etc.” again in verses 7-8.
Ramban
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.
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.
Rashbam
בהפרידו בני אדם, after the death of Noach and the time of Avraham about which the Torah wrote (Genesis 10,5) “from this point on they separated, branched out by their respective lands, each with its language, etc.” יצב גבולות עמים, twelve descendants of Canaan (Genesis 10,6) mentioned in that context in that chapter of Genesis, corresponding to the eventual 12 tribes of Israel. Canaan and his 11 sons amounted to twelve. (Genesis 10,15-18) The Torah describes the boundaries of the Canaanites as extending from Tzidon in the north to Gerar, near Gaza in the south, and Sodom in the east. This entire region became the land of Israel during the conquest commencing in the days of Joshua, except for the coastal plains inhabited by the Philistines which was conquered many hundreds of years later, and Jerusalem which was captured by David. The Torah does not give details of the boundaries of the territories of any of the other sons of Noach. למספר בני ישראל, matching the number of the Children of Israel.
Da'at Zekenim
צוטריטלעך נאָר פֿאַר פּרעמיום־מיטגלידערRashi
its strongholds Tyre and Zidon were of Canaan, as it is stated (Gen. 10:15): “Zidon his first born.”