Joshua 17:12

12 And the sons of Manasseh might not destroy these cities, but Canaanites began to dwell in this land. (And the sons of Manasseh could not destroy these cities, and so the Canaanites continued to live in this land.)

Joshua 17:12 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 17:12

Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out [the
inhabitants] of these cities
Mentioned in ( Joshua 17:11 ) ; they had not strength at first to do it, or either were negligent and slothful, and suffered them to dwell among them, and did not take the advantage they might have done; and afterwards it was too late, they became too strong and numerous for them, at least for a time:

but the Canaanites would dwell in the land;
whether they would or not.

Joshua 17:12 In-Context

10 so that the possession of Ephraim is from the south, and the possession of Manasseh is from the north, and the sea closeth ever either; and those possessions be joined to themselves in the lineage of Asher from the north, and in the lineage of Issachar from the east. (so the possession of Ephraim is from the south side of the river, and the possession of western Manasseh is from the north side of the river, and the Mediterranean Sea closeth, or endeth, both; and the tribe of Asher is to the north, and the tribe of Issachar is to the east.)

11 And the heritage of Manasseh was in Issachar and in Asher, Bethshean, and the towns thereof, and Ibleam, with his towns, and the dwellers of Dor, with her cities, and the dwellers of Endor, with her towns, and also the dwellers of Taanach, with her towns, and the dwellers of Megiddo, with her towns, and the third part of the city (of) Naphath . (And Manasseh had possessions within Issachar and Asher, Bethshean, and its towns, and Ibleam, and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor, and its towns, and the inhabitants of Endor, and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach, and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo, and its towns, and the third part of the city of Naphath.)

12 And the sons of Manasseh might not destroy these cities, but Canaanites began to dwell in this land. (And the sons of Manasseh could not destroy these cities, and so the Canaanites continued to live in this land.)

13 And after that the sons of Israel had waxed strong, they made subject (these) Canaanites, and they made them tributaries to themselves, and they killed them not. (And after the Israelites had grown strong, they made these Canaanites to pay tribute, or taxes, to them, but they did not kill them.)

14 And the sons of Joseph spake to Joshua, and said, Why hast thou given to me land into (a) possession of (only) one lot and [one] part, since I am of so great multitude, and the Lord hath blessed me, that is, hath alarged me in children? (And Joseph's sons, that is, the sons of Ephraim and of Manasseh, spoke to Joshua, and said, Why hast thou given us the land of only one lot, yea, only one portion for a possession, since we be of so great a multitude, and the Lord hath blessed us, that is, hath enlarged us, with so many children?)