To destroy such a people, then, from off the face of the earth, was plainly a needful purification of the world, a moral benefit to mankind.
Now, similar was the character of the nations whom the Israelites were commanded to destroy. The only difference in the cases, is, that instead of destroying them by fire, as was done with Sodom, the Almighty thought fit to exterminate them by the sword, and the Israelites were made the instruments of that destruction. That those nations were destroyed on account of their wickedness, is expressly and repeatedly stated. Thus:—"Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan, this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven; a people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak? Understand, therefore, this day, that the Lord thy God is He which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire. He shall destroy them, and He shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee. Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying. For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations, the Lord doth drive them out from before thee. Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations, the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee."[1] And, in another place, after mentioning
