9:5 the wickedness of these nations. The Canaanite nations that had inhabited the land for many centuries were indeed paragons of wickedness, not only pagan idolaters, but practitioners of every form of sexual debauchery, as well as extreme cruelties, even offering their own children in fiery sacrifices to their demonic nature gods (Deuteronomy 12:31). God had given them many centuries in which to repent and turn back to God (note Genesis 15:16), but they had only grown worse, and the only remedy was destruction before they could contaminate the world.