Yahweh said to Joshua, Behold, I have given into your hand Jericho, and the king of it, and the mighty men of valor.
One result of moral filth is physical disease. Therefore, the destruction of the Canaanites (in some cases together with their sheep and cattle) ensured the removal of deadly diseases that could have threatened Israel’s existence. The absence of Canaanite religious practices would also be a help to Israel’s religious life and moral well-being.