6858. 'To the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite' means the region occupied by evils that arise from falsities. This is clear from the representation of 'the Canaanites' as evils that arise from the falsities of evil, dealt with in 4818; and from the representation of 'the Hittites' as falsities from which evils arise, dealt with in 2913. By the nations in the land of Canaan that are listed here as well as in other places, such as Genesis 15:18-19; Exodus 23:23, 28; 33:2; 34:11; Deuteronomy 7:1; 20:17; Joshua 3:10; 24:11; Judges 3:5, are meant all kinds of evil and falsity. What one should understand by a region occupied by evils that arise from falsities, and also by all the other kinds of evil and falsity, must be stated. Before the Lord's Coming into the world evil genii and spirits occupied the entire region of heaven to which those who were spiritual were subsequently raised. For before the Lord's Coming a large part of those kinds of beings were freely prowling about and molesting the good, especially spiritual people who were on the lower earth. But after the Lord's Coming they were all thrust down into their own hells, and that region was liberated and given as an inheritance to those who belonged to the spiritual Church. I have often noticed that as soon any place is abandoned by good spirits it is occupied by evil ones, but that the evil spirits are driven out of it; and that once they have been driven out it is handed over again to those who are governed by good. The reason for this is that those from hell have a constant burning desire to destroy the things of heaven, in particular those things that are their opposites. Consequently when some place is abandoned, then because it is unprotected it is instantly occupied by the evil. This, as has been stated, is what one should understand specifically by a region occupied by evils and falsities, which is meant by the place inhabited by the nations who were to be driven out. This together with the things mentioned above in 6854 is a deep mystery which cannot be known about without revelation.