During the Early Bronze Age, the development of various sites like Ebla, where Eblaite (an East Semitic language) was spoken, significantly influenced the region. Around 2300 BCE, Ebla became part of the Akkadian Empire under Sargon the Great and Naram-Sin of Akkad. Earlier Sumerian references mention the Mar.tu ("tent dwellers", later known as the Amorites) in regions west of the Euphrates River, dating back to the reign of Enshakushanna of Uruk. Although one tablet credits the Sumeria king Lugal-Anne-Mundu with influence in the region, its credibility is questioned.

The Amorites, located in places like Hazor and Kadesh, bordered Canaan to the north and northeast, with entities like Ugarit possibly included in this Amoritic region.^[10] The collapse of the Akkadian Empire in 2154 BCE coincided with the arrival of people using Khirbet Kerak ware, originating from the Zagros Mountains. DNA analysis suggests significant migrations from the Chalcolithic Zagros and Bronze Age Caucasus to the Southern Levant between 2500–1000 BCE.^[11]

The period saw the rise of the first cities like 'En Esur and Meggido, with these "proto-Canaanites" maintaining regular contact with neighboring regions. However, the period ended with a return to farming villages and semi-nomadic lifestyles, although specialized crafts and trade persisted.^[12] Ugarit is archaeologically considered a quintessential Late Bronze Age Canaanite state, despite its language not belonging to the Canaanite group.^[13]

The decline in the Early Bronze Age in Canaan around 2000 BCE coincided with significant transformations across the ancient Near East, including the end of the Old Kingdom in Egypt. This period was marked by a widespread collapse of urbanization in the southern Levant and the rise and fall of the Akkad empire in the Upper Euphrates region. It is argued that this supra-regional collapse, which also affected Egypt, was possibly triggered by rapid climate change, known as the 4.2 ka BP event, leading to aridification and cooling​​.^[14]

The connection between the decline in Canaan and the fall of the Old Kingdom in Egypt lies in the broader context of climate change and its impact on these ancient civilizations. The environmental challenges faced by Egypt, which led to famine and societal breakdown, were part of a larger pattern of climatic shifts that affected the entire region, including Canaan. The decline of the Old Kingdom, a major political and economic power,^[15] would have had ripple effects throughout the Near East, impacting trade, political stability, and cultural exchanges. This period of upheaval set the stage for significant changes in the political and cultural landscape of the region, including in Canaan.