A land holy or cursed?

Last Sunday, the prescribed Biblical passage from the Hebrew scriptures in the widely used (Christian) Revised Common Lectionary was not perhaps the most helpful for this moment. 

Joshua was the leader and prophet who led the wandering Israelites into the land Moses had assured them that their God had promised to them. In the Book of Joshua, chapter 24, the leading men of the people affirm their trust in that promise and agree to go forward.

Painting by Benjamin West, Joshua crossing the Jordan River, 1800

We didn't read all of the chapter on Sunday, but I couldn't get it out of my head that this bit of Bible includes Joshua reporting God saying this:

¹³ So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’

And the people promise to serve this God and no other:

¹⁶ Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! ¹⁷ It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. ¹⁸ And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”

I'm not suggesting that the current conflict in Israel/Palestine is the continuation of this ancient conquest -- though there are undoubtedly misbegotten religious zealots on both sides who believe it is. 

And also legions of U.S.-based Christian evangelicals egging them on. "You and him fight ..."

The slaughter needs to end. I refuse to believe that murder, dispossession, and eradication of peoples is the purposeful end of any of these Gods ... but it is sure not surprising that we might wonder.