A common misinterpretation views this passage as endorsing indiscriminate violence or ethnic cleansing by Israel, ignoring the broader biblical context of God's righteous judgment on Canaanite wickedness after centuries of patience, as detailed in Genesis 15:16 and Deuteronomy 9:4-5; others erroneously apply it to justify modern political claims to land without regard for New Testament fulfillment in Christ, where the true inheritance is spiritual rather than territorial, or overlook that Israel's possession was conditional on obedience, leading to later exile when they rebelled.
Psalms 135:12
King James Version (1769)
12 And gave their land for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people.
This verse celebrates God's sovereign power in history, as He dispossessed the pagan nations of Canaan—including mighty kings like Sihon and Og—and granted their fertile land as an enduring inheritance to Israel, His chosen people, fulfilling the covenant promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; it underscores divine faithfulness, protection of Israel, and the ultimate authority of God over all nations and territories.