Joshua 17:12-13
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The phrase "would dwell" isn't a statement of passive inability, but a declaration of the Canaanites' determined will to stay. This verse highlights their stubborn resistance to being displaced, a defiance that Manasseh, for whatever reason, couldn't overcome, setting the stage for future conflict.
Yet the people of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land. Now when the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The tribe of Manasseh was allotted several cities, but they found themselves unable to fully conquer and possess them. Instead of driving out the Canaanites as God commanded, they allowed them to remain, even potentially making agreements to pay tribute later. This failure to obey God's direct order would have serious consequences for Israel's future, as the unresolved Canaanite presence became a persistent problem.
God commanded Israel to utterly drive out the Canaanites. So why did Manasseh let them stay?
Joshua 17:12 presents a stark reality: 'the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land.' This wasn't just a military failure; it was a spiritual compromise. The Canaanites, despite their defeat, weren't fully removed.
The Cost of Incomplete Obedience
Did Manasseh truly lack the power, or was something else at play when they couldn't expel the Canaanites?
The phrase 'could not drive out' in Joshua 17:12 needs careful consideration. While it might suggest a lack of military might, the surrounding context and commentary point to a deeper issue.
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The Heart of the Matter
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.
mas · Hebrew Noun
A term often used for servile labor or tribute exacted from a conquered or subjugated group, indicating power and authority over them.
~1400 BC
Israelite Conquest of Canaan
Following their exodus from Egypt and 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites, led by Joshua, began their military campaign to conquer and settle the land of Canaan.
After ~1380 BC
Land Allotment by Tribe
After the initial conquest, the land of Canaan was systematically divided by lot among the twelve tribes of Israel, including the tribe of Manasseh.
After ~1380 BC— this verse
Failure to Fully Expel Canaanites
Many Israelite tribes, including Manasseh, failed to completely drive out the native Canaanite populations from their assigned territories, allowing them to remain.
During the Period of the Judges
Canaanites Become a Source of Oppression
The remaining Canaanites in the land, particularly in the region of the Jezreel valley, became a persistent thorn in the side of the Israelites, sometimes even oppressing them.
This passage shows a similar situation where the tribes of Manasseh, Ephraim, and others failed to drive out the Canaanites, allowing them to remain in their land and become tributaries, directly mirroring the issue in Joshua 17:12.
Exodus 23:27-30This provides the divine command and reasoning for the complete expulsion of the Canaanites, highlighting the disobedience and its consequences implied in Joshua 17:12.
Judges 2:1-3This passage explicitly states that the Israelites did not obey God's voice by failing to drive out the inhabitants of the land, which directly led to the Canaanites becoming a snare to them, explaining the spiritual failing behind Joshua 17:12.
Numbers 33:55-56This passage issues a stern warning that any remaining inhabitants of Canaan would become 'thorns in your eyes and in your sides,' directly illustrating the negative repercussions of the incomplete conquest described in Joshua 17:12.
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…
The phrase "would dwell" isn't a statement of passive inability, but a declaration of the Canaanites' determined will to stay. This verse highlights their stubborn resistance to being displaced, a defiance that Manasseh, for whatever reason, couldn't overcome, setting the stage for future conflict.
The tribe of Manasseh was allotted several cities, but they found themselves unable to fully conquer and possess them. Instead of driving out the Canaanites as God commanded, they allowed them to remain, even potentially making agreements to pay tribute later. This failure to obey God's direct order would have serious consequences for Israel's future, as the unresolved Canaanite presence became a persistent problem.
The tribe of Manasseh was allotted several cities, but they found themselves unable to fully conquer and possess them. Instead of driving out the Canaanites as God commanded, they allowed them to remain, even potentially making agreements to pay tribute later. This failure to obey God's direct order would have serious consequences for Israel's future, as the unresolved Canaanite presence became a persistent problem.
"Yet the people of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land. Now when the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them…" — The phrase "would dwell" isn't a statement of passive inability, but a declaration of the Canaanites' determined will to stay. This verse highlights their stubborn resistance to being displaced, a de…
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Last reviewed October 2026
