Introduction
The biblical conquest of Canaan under Joshua is a foundational event in biblical history; the BLSC dates this to around 1398 – 1391 BC. This period marks the Israelites’ entry and decisive victories over the entrenched Canaanite peoples, including the Amorites, who are repeatedly depicted in Scripture as morally corrupt and subject to divine judgment.
Historical and archaeological data, coupled with Egyptian records, suggest that Pharaoh Amenhotep II’s military campaigns played a crucial role in destabilising the rulers of Canaan just before the Israelite invasion. This alignment between Egyptian military activity and biblical chronology offers a compelling convergence of divine providence and historical reality.
The Sin and Judgment of the Amorites
The Amorites inhabited regions of Canaan and are often representative of all the Canaanite inhabitants opposing Israel’s settlement (Joshua 10:5-6; Judges 1:34-36). Scripture condemns them for idolatry, child sacrifice, sexual immorality, and violence (Leviticus 18; Deuteronomy 9:4-5, 20:17). Genesis 15:16 highlights that their “iniquity was not yet complete” at the time of Abraham, signaling God’s patient judgment that awaited the fullness of their corruption before their ultimate downfall.
Archaeological and Cultural Evidence
Excavations reveal widespread ritual practices in Canaan consistent with biblical descriptions, including sites with evidence of cultic burnings and infant burials, strongly suggesting child sacrifice. Cuneiform texts from the period further document the polytheistic religious landscape that clashed fundamentally with Israel’s monotheistic faith.
Amenhotep II’s Campaigns and the Weakening of the Amorites
Pharaoh Amenhotep II, ruling circa 1425–1401 BC, is noted for his vigorous military campaigns in the Levant. Particularly, his ninth-year campaign, which likely took place around 1417–1416 BC, reached as far north as the Sea of Galilee. Egyptian inscriptions boast of capturing 101,128 slaves—a figure debated but indicative of a large-scale military success that significantly weakened the Amorite and other Canaanite polities.
By disrupting the Amorites’ political and military strength, Amenhotep II functioned as an unwitting instrument of God’s judgment, paving the way for the Israelite conquest under Joshua. This campaign aligns perfectly with the biblical chronology of Joshua’s conquests from 1398 - 1391 BC, suggesting that the geopolitical conditions were ripe for Israel’s swift victory.
Joshua’s Conquests 1398 - 1391 BC: A Historical and Theological Synthesis
Joshua’s swift campaigns and victories, as described in the biblical narrative, are consistent with the aftermath of Amenhotep II’s weakening of Canaanite powers. The biblical command to utterly destroy the Amorites and other Canaanite nations (Deuteronomy 20:17) reflects the divine judgment on their accumulated sins.
The synchronization of Amenhotep II’s military activities with Joshua’s conquest highlights the interplay of divine providence and historical events, where Egyptian imperial policy indirectly fulfills God’s plan for Israel.
Conclusion
The confluence of biblical texts, Egyptian records, and archaeological data provides strong support for dating Joshua’s conquest to 1398 BC to 1391 BC, coinciding with the reign and military campaigns of Amenhotep II. His campaigns severely diminished Amorite power, fulfilling the biblical narrative of divine judgment and enabling Israel’s successful occupation of the Promised Land.