Another interpretation: "for it was near" (Exodus 13:17). Near was the kindness that the Canaanites did with our father Jacob. This is what is written, "and when the inhabitant of the land, the Canaanite, saw" the mourning (Genesis 50:11). Rabbi Eleazar says they loosened their belts. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, because they untied the knots of their shoulder-garments. And the Rabbis say, because they straightened up their posture. Rabbi Yudan says, because they pointed with the finger. Now are these things not an argument from minor to major? If the Canaanites, who did no kindness with their hands nor with their feet, but only because they pointed with the finger, were saved from punishment, then Israel, who do kindness with their great ones and with their small ones, all the more so.
The Kindness the Canaanites Showed at Jacob's Mourning
Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 227:2
דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי קָרוֹב הוּא, קָרוֹב הַחֶסֶד שֶׁעָשׂוּ כְּנַעֲנִיִּים עִם אָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (בראשית נ, יא) "וַיַּרְא יוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי" אֶת הָאֵבֶל, רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר שֶׁהִתִּירוּ אֲזוֹרֵיהֶן, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אָמַר, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהִתִּירוּ קִשְׁרֵי כִּתְפוֹתֵיהֶם, וְרַבָּנָן אַמְרִין, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁזָּקְפוּ קוֹמָתָן, רַבִּי יוּדָן אוֹמֵר, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהֶרְאוּ בְּאֶצְבַּע, וַהֲלֹא דְּבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר, וּמָה אִם הַכְּנַעֲנִים שֶׁלֹּא עָשׂוּ חֶסֶד לֹא בִּידֵיהֶן וְלֹא בְּרַגְלֵיהֶן אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהֶרְאוּ בְּאֶצְבַּע נִצּוֹלוּ מִן הַפֻּרְעָנוּת, יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵן עוֹשִׂין חֶסֶד עִם גְּדוֹלֵיהֶן וְעִם קְטַנֵּיהֶן לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן.