Judges 1:28

28 Later, the Israelites grew strong and forced the Canaanites to work as slaves, but they did not make all the Canaanites leave their land.

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 went to the land where the Hittites lived and built a city. He named it Luz, which it is called even today.

27 There were Canaanites living in the cities of Beth Shan, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and the small towns around them. The people of Manasseh did not force those people out of their towns, because the Canaanites were determined to stay there.

28 Later, the Israelites grew strong and forced the Canaanites to work as slaves, but they did not make all the Canaanites leave their land.

29 The people of Ephraim did not force out all of the Canaanites living in Gezer. So the Canaanites continued to live in Gezer with the people of Ephraim.

30 The people of Zebulun did not force out the Canaanites living in the cities of Kitron and Nahalol. They stayed and lived with the people of Zebulun, but Zebulun made them work as slaves.