Judges 1:28

28 When Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor but never drove them out completely.

Judges 1:28 in Other Translations

28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.

28 When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not drive them out completely.

28 When the Israelites grew stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves, but they never did drive them completely out of the land.

28 When Israel became stronger they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they never got rid of them.

28 When Israel became stronger, they made the Canaanites serve as forced labor but never drove them out completely.

Judges 1:28 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 1:28

And it came to pass, when Israel was strong
All the tribes of Israel were become numerous, and able to drive the Canaanites out of the land everywhere, and particularly were able to assist Manasseh in expelling the Canaanites out of the above places, yet they did not; but all they did was,

that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive
them out;
which flowed from covetousness, and a love of ease; they did not care to be at the trouble of expelling them, as they found it turned more to their account and present advantage to make them tributaries; and this was true of the Israelites in general, and of the half tribe of Manasseh in particular; which, as Abarbinel thinks, is here respected.

Judges 1:28 In-Context

26 He then went to the land of the Hittites, where he built a city and called it Luz, which is its name to this day.

27 But Manasseh did not drive out the people of Beth Shan or Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their surrounding settlements, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that land.

28 When Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor but never drove them out completely.

29 Nor did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, but the Canaanites continued to live there among them.

30 Neither did Zebulun drive out the Canaanites living in Kitron or Nahalol, so these Canaanites lived among them, but Zebulun did subject them to forced labor.

Cross References

• 1. Joshua 17:12-13