Canaan in Easton's Bible Dictionary
(1.) The fourth son of Ham (Gen. 10:6). His descendants were
under a curse in consequence of the transgression of
his father
(9:22-27). His eldest son, Zidon, was the father of
the
Sidonians and Phoenicians. He had eleven sons, who
were the
founders of as many tribes (10:15-18).
(2.) The country which derived its name from the
preceding.
The name as first used by the Phoenicians denoted
only the
maritime plain on which Sidon was built. But in the
time of
Moses and Joshua it denoted the whole country to the
west of the
Jordan and the Dead Sea (Deut. 11:30). In Josh. 5:12
the LXX.
read, "land of the Phoenicians," instead of "land of
Canaan."
The name signifies "the lowlands," as distinguished
from the
land of Gilead on the east of Jordan, which was a
mountainous
district. The extent and boundaries of Canaan are
fully set
forth in different parts of Scripture (Gen. 10:19;
17:8; Num.
13:29; 34:8). (See CANAANITES -T0000705, PALESTINE
-T0002828.)
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