1167. That by “Canaan,” or “the Canaanite,” when mentioned in the Word, are signified rituals, that is, the things of external worship separated from internal, is evident from very many passages, especially in the historicals. Because the Canaanites were of this character at the time when the sons of Jacob were introduced into their land, it was permitted that they should be exterminated. But in the internal sense of the Word, all those are meant by “Canaanites” who have external worship separated from internal. And as the Jews and Israelites more than others were of this nature, they specifically are signified by “Canaanites” in the prophetical Word, as may be seen from these two passages only:

They have shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan; and the land was profaned with bloods, and they were defiled with their works, and went a whoring in their doings. (Psalms 106:38-39).

“To shed the blood of sons and daughters,” here signifies in the internal sense that they extinguished all truths of faith and goods of charity; “to sacrifice sons and daughters to the idols of Canaan” signifies to profane the things which are of faith and charity by external worship separate from internal, which is nothing else than idolatrous. Thus were they defiled with their works, and went a whoring in their doings.

In Ezekiel:

Thus saith the Lord Jehovih unto Jerusalem, Thy tradings and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother a Hittite (Ezekiel 16:3).

Here they are plainly said to be of the land of Canaan. (That “Canaan” signifies external worship separated from internal may be seen above, n. 1078,1094)