In the desert

The Israelites did not at once enter the land of Canaan which God had promised them, but instead they wandered in the desert with their flocks and herds for 40 years.  Now that he had given them the Ten Rules for good living, the Ten Commandments, God wanted them to have a long time of quiet in which to learn to keep them.  The excitement of moving into Canaan or Palestine so soon afterwards would have put all thoughts of the Ten Commandments out of their minds; but in the lonely wilderness, with nothing to disturb them, they had the opportunity of forming good habits which they would not easily give up.

Conquest and settlement

At the end of 40 years the Israelites entered Palestine under the leadership of Joshua.  When we remember that God intended to train the Israelites to love and obey him in order that he might use them to bring all the nations of the world to love and obey him too, it is easy to see why he chose Palestine as their land.  With the sea to the west, a mountain range to the north, and a desert to the east and south, the Israelites could go on living quietly away from the bad influence of the other nations and yet be in the middle of them when the time came to teach them.

Influence of pagan tribes

Bit by bit they made their way into the different parts of the country and after some years we find them settled in.  Unfortunately the tribes already living in Palestine were all pagan, and little by little the Israelites became friendly with them and got into their pagan ways.  They lost their simple faith in God which they had had in the desert.  Instead they began to worship idols and to visit the pagan temples.  There were some Israelites, however, who remained true and loyal.