Now it happened after the death of Moses the servant of Yahweh, that Yahweh spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,
    The book describes the conquest and division of the land of Canaan and is set against the background of the corrupt and brutal features of Canaanite religion. The Canaanite worship included prostitution of both sexes, infant sacrifice, and other evils for which God commanded the israelites to exterminate the inhabitants of Canaan. The conquest by Joshua and Israel was God’s judgment upon them for their wickedness. Much of the spiritual problems that Israel had later in drifting into idolatry herself was due to the fact that the Canaanites were not completely destroyed. As a result their religion was tolerated and frequently absorbed by the Israelites.