Judges 1:28

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

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 Then the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a town, and named it Luz. That is its name to this day.

27 At that time Manasseh failed to take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the residents of Dor and its villages, or the residents of Ibleamand its villages, or the residents of Megiddo and its villages. But the Canaanites refused to leave this land.

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

29 At that time Ephraim failed to drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived among them in Gezer.

30 Zebulun failed to drive out the residents of Kitron or the residents of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them and served as forced labor.

Footnotes

• [a] Jos 17:12-13