Joshua 17:12
Yet the people of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss here is the subtle but crucial distinction between "could not drive out" and the Canaanites' "would dwell." It wasn't just a lack of power on Manasseh's part; it was the Canaanites' firm resolve to stay in their land, which highlights the spiritual battle Manasseh was failing to fully engage in. This refusal to fully dispossess the Canaanites ultimately allowed them to remain a persistent problem.
The tribe of Manasseh received a territory that included cities within the lands assigned to Issachar and Asher, creating a mixed inheritance. However, they struggled to fully claim these areas, facing persistent Canaanite inhabitants. This situation leads to a complaint from the Joseph tribes (Ephraim and Manasseh) to Joshua about their allotted land, prompting Joshua to challenge their inaction and urge them to conquer the wooded, mountainous regions.
Have you ever felt like you've achieved a major victory, only to find the battle isn't completely over? Joshua 17:12 speaks to this very feeling.
Even after the major conquest of Canaan under Joshua, not all the land was fully secured. The tribe of Manasseh, despite being allotted certain cities and territories, couldn't completely drive out the existing Canaanite inhabitants.
The Persistent Presence
This wasn't a total defeat for Israel, but it highlights a crucial reality: victory can be partial. The Canaanites 'persisted in dwelling in that land.' This means they remained, living alongside the Israelites, rather than being completely expelled as God had commanded.
Why It Matters
This situation set the stage for future conflict and compromise. When God's people don't fully obey His commands to cleanse the land of opposing influences, those influences can linger and cause trouble later on. It's a reminder that obedience must be complete, not just partial.
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God's commands are usually crystal clear, but sometimes we find ways to compromise. What happens when 'driving out' becomes 'tolerating'?
The failure of Manasseh to fully expel the Canaanites wasn't just a military setback; it was a spiritual one. The commentary suggests reasons ranging from a lack of courage and zeal to a 'mistaken humanity' or even a desire for tribute.
The Slippery Slope of Compromise
Instead of complete expulsion, the Israelites eventually put the Canaanites to tribute (Joshua 17:13). While this might seem like a practical solution, it's a clear sign of partial obedience. By allowing them to remain and pay tribute, Israel essentially offered protection and coexistence to those God had declared enemies.
The Consequence of Compromise
This compromise came at a great cost. It blurred the lines between God's people and the pagan nations, leading to idolatry and spiritual corruption in the generations that followed. It demonstrates that when we fail to obey God fully, even in seemingly small matters, the consequences can be far-reaching and destructive.
Understand the original words
Kena'ani · Hebrew Noun
Inhabitants of the land of Canaan whom God commanded Israel to dispossess due to their idolatry and wickedness; they represent resistance to God's purpose for His people.
This verse highlights a crucial post-conquest issue: the failure to fully dispossess the native Canaanites, which led to ongoing conflict and cultural compromise for Israel.
c. 1400 BC
Israelite Conquest of Canaan
Following their exodus from Egypt, the Israelites under Joshua conquered much of the land of Canaan.
c. 1400 BC
Tribal Allotments Assigned
After the conquest, the land was divided by lot among the twelve tribes of Israel, including the tribe of Manasseh.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Manasseh's Land Assignment
The tribe of Manasseh received territories that included areas with existing Canaanite populations and fortified cities.
c. 1390 BC
Canaanites Remain in Cities
Despite the Israelite division of land, the Canaanite inhabitants of certain cities within Manasseh's allotment refused to be driven out.
Post-Conquest Era
Canaanites Integrated and Tributary
As the Israelites grew stronger, they often forced the remaining Canaanites into servitude or exacted tribute, rather than completely expelling them.
This passage describes a similar failure by the tribe of Manasseh (and others) to drive out the Canaanites, highlighting the persistent problem of incomplete conquest and its consequences.
Judges 2:2This verse serves as a direct warning against making covenants with the inhabitants of the land, a principle that the failure of Manasseh in Joshua 17:12 seems to have violated, leading to future trouble.
Exodus 23:31This foundational promise of God outlines the extent of the land and the conditions for possessing it, providing a stark contrast to Manasseh's inability to fully claim their allotted territory.
Romans 8:37While facing different battles, this verse speaks to the idea of overcoming in Christ, which can be seen as the spiritual counterpart to the physical conquest the Israelites were called to, reminding us that complete victory is possible through God.
calvinJoshua 17:11-18: "And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Bethshean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries."
- And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Bethshean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and…
clarkeJoshua 17:12: "Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land."
Could not drive out, etc. - They had neither grace nor courage to go against their enemies, and chose rather to share their territories with those whom the justice of God had proscribed, than exert themselves to expel them. But some commentators give a different turn to this expression, and translate the passage thus: But the children of Manasseh could n…
What's easy to miss here is the subtle but crucial distinction between "could not drive out" and the Canaanites' "would dwell." It wasn't just a lack of power on Manasseh's part; it was the Canaanites' firm resolve to stay in their land, which highlights the spiritual battle Manasseh was failing to fully engage in. This refusal to fully dispossess the Canaanites ultimately allowed them to remain a persistent problem.
The tribe of Manasseh received a territory that included cities within the lands assigned to Issachar and Asher, creating a mixed inheritance. However, they struggled to fully claim these areas, facing persistent Canaanite inhabitants. This situation leads to a complaint from the Joseph tribes (Ephraim and Manasseh) to Joshua about their allotted land, prompting Joshua to challenge their inaction and urge them to conquer the wooded, mountainous regions.
The tribe of Manasseh received a territory that included cities within the lands assigned to Issachar and Asher, creating a mixed inheritance. However, they struggled to fully claim these areas, facing persistent Canaanite inhabitants. This situation leads to a complaint from the Joseph tribes (Ephraim and Manasseh) to Joshua about their allotted land, prompting Joshua to challenge their inaction and urge them to conquer the wooded, mountainous regions.
"Yet the people of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land." — What's easy to miss here is the subtle but crucial distinction between "could not drive out" and the Canaanites' "would dwell." It wasn't just a lack of power on Manasseh's part; it was the Canaanite…
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