Yehoshua 17:12

12 Yet the Bnei Menasheh could not drive out the inhabitants of those towns; but the Kena’ani persisted dwelling in that land.

Yehoshua 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.

Yehoshua 17:12 In-Context

10 Southward it was Ephrayim’s, and northward it was Menasheh’s, and the Yam is its boundary; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Yissakhar on the east.

11 And Menasheh had in Yissakhar and in Asher Beit Sh’an and its towns, and Yivleam and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Ein-dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns, sheloshet (three) of Nafet.

12 Yet the Bnei Menasheh could not drive out the inhabitants of those towns; but the Kena’ani persisted dwelling in that land.

13 Yet it came to pass, when the Bnei Yisroel increased in chozek (strength) that they put the Kena’ani to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.

14 And the Bnei Yosef spoke unto Yehoshua, saying, Why hast thou given me for a nachalah but one goral and one chevel (portion, lot) to inherit, seeing I am an am rav, forasmuch as Hashem hath blessed me hitherto?