Obviously, when confronting any biblical text, one must remember that these are not descriptions of historical events but rather theological reflections of events long since past. Archaeological evidence suggests that some of the tribes the Israelites claimed to have annihilated were actually absorbed into their nation. But the biblical ideal of cosmic war is exceedingly clear. It is “ethnic cleansing as a means of ensuring cultic purity,” to quote the great biblical scholar John Collins. It was, in fact, the principal means through which the nation was made.
