Why the Canaanites Kept Hebron for Honoring Abraham

Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: since Scripture weighs the deeds of the land of Egypt against the deeds of the land of Canaan, as it is said, "After the doings of the land of Egypt" and so forth (Leviticus 18:3), why did the Canaanites merit to dwell upon their land forty-seven years, as it is said, "and Hebron was built seven years before Zoan of Egypt" (Numbers 13:22)? Because they honored Abraham our father, for they said to him, "You are a prince of God among us" and so forth (Genesis 23:6), they merited to dwell upon their land forty-seven years. Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel says in the name of Rabbi Yehudah ben Lakish: behold, it says, "the greatest man among the Anakim, and the land had rest from war" (Joshua 14:15) in the merit of Abraham; because they honored Abraham our father, they merited that the land would have rest for them.