Joshua 16 10

Joshua 16:10 kjv

And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.

Joshua 16:10 nkjv

And they did not drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites to this day and have become forced laborers.

Joshua 16:10 niv

They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.

Joshua 16:10 esv

However, they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived in the midst of Ephraim to this day but have been made to do forced labor.

Joshua 16:10 nlt

They did not drive the Canaanites out of Gezer, however, so the people of Gezer live as slaves among the people of Ephraim to this day.

Joshua 16 verses

Joshua 16 10 Meaning

Joshua 16:10 describes the partial obedience of the tribe of Ephraim during the conquest of Canaan. Despite receiving their allocated territory, they failed to completely drive out the Canaanite inhabitants of Gezer. Consequently, these Canaanites continued to reside among Ephraim's people, though they were subjugated and made to perform forced labor. This verse highlights a critical deviation from God's explicit command for complete expulsion, demonstrating a compromise that would have lasting consequences for Israel.

Joshua 16 10 Context

Joshua chapter 16 begins the detailed description of the tribal inheritances after the initial major victories of the conquest. Specifically, it outlines the boundaries for the descendants of Joseph—Ephraim and half of Manasseh. Verses 1-9 delineate Ephraim's specific tribal territory. Verse 10, though seemingly a brief factual statement, serves as a crucial theological and historical note, directly following the geographical description. It immediately introduces a dissonant chord in the narrative of a successful conquest by highlighting Ephraim's failure to complete the task of expelling the inhabitants of Gezer. This sets a precedent and foreshadows the more widespread and severe instances of incomplete conquest detailed in the Book of Judges, fundamentally shaping the future history and struggles of Israel. The verse implicitly warns that partial obedience, even if it brings a perceived short-term economic benefit (forced labor), undermines God's ultimate plan and invites future problems.

Joshua 16 10 Word analysis

• But (וְלֹא, wĕlōʾ): This initial Hebrew conjunction functions as a strong adversative, indicating a sharp contrast or opposition. It immediately signals a failure or a deviation from what was expected or commanded.
• they did not drive out (הוֹרִישׁוּ, hōrîšû): Derived from the Hebrew root yāraš (יָרַשׁ), meaning "to inherit" or "to take possession." In the Hiphil stem, as used here, it means "to cause to inherit," or more commonly in this context, "to dispossess," "to drive out," or "to destroy completely." The negative "loʾ" (לֹא) indicates a clear failure to execute this essential command from God. This failure contrasts directly with the divine directive for complete dispossession of the Canaanites.
• the Canaanites (הַכְּנַעֲנִי, hak-kĕna‘ănî): Refers to the original inhabitants of the land. God had commanded their complete expulsion due to their idolatry and wickedness, preventing their influence from corrupting Israel (Deut 7:1-6, Gen 15:16). Their continued presence posed a direct threat to Israel's covenant fidelity.
• who lived in Gezer (בְּגֶזֶר, bĕḡezer): Gezer (גֶּזֶר) was a strategically important Canaanite city located on the border between the tribes of Ephraim and Dan. Its continued Canaanite control signifies a major military and strategic stronghold remaining unconquered within Israel's inheritance. It remained a foreign city for a considerable period, only becoming part of Israel much later, when it was given by Egypt as a dowry to Solomon (1 Kgs 9:16).
• so (וַיֵּשֶׁב, wayyēšeb): A consecutive waw, showing the immediate result or consequence.
• the Canaanites live (וַיֵּשֶׁב הַכְּנַעֲנִי, wayyēšeb hak-kĕna‘ănî): The verb yāšab (יָשַׁב) means "to dwell" or "to live." This phrase emphatically states the enduring presence of the Canaanites, indicating a sustained coexistence rather than complete separation, directly contradicting God's plan.
• among Ephraim (בְּקֶרֶב אֶפְרָיִם, bĕqereḇ ʾep̄rāyim): Signifies integration, proximity, and daily interaction between the Israelites and the unconquered pagans. This shared living space directly exposed Israel to idolatrous practices and cultural norms forbidden by the Lord. Ephraim was a dominant tribe, so their failure set a significant negative example.
• to this day (עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, ʿad hayyōm hazzeh): A common literary device in historical biblical narratives. It authenticates the enduring nature of the situation or phenomenon described and signifies that the consequence of this failure was still observable at the time the book was compiled or edited, reinforcing its historical reality and the long-term impact of Ephraim's actions.
• and have become subject to forced labor (וַיִּהְיוּ לְמַס עֹבֵד, wayyihyû lĕmas ʿōbēd): "Mas" (מַס) refers to "forced labor," "corvée," or "tribute." "Oved" (עֹבֵד) refers to "one who works" or "a slave." This phrase indicates that while they were not fully expelled or eradicated, they were subdued and made subservient, providing an economic benefit to the Israelites. However, this pragmatic approach contradicted the divine command for utter destruction and proved to be a source of ongoing spiritual temptation and eventual national weakness.

Joshua 16 10 Bonus section

The pattern of Israel's failure to drive out the inhabitants, as highlighted in Joshua 16:10, suggests a recurrent theme of spiritual half-heartedness and a reliance on human wisdom over divine command. This tendency, to integrate rather than eradicate, resulted in the very entanglements and apostasies warned against in Deuteronomy 7. Gezer specifically exemplifies a failure not of weakness but of choice: they could have driven them out (Judg 1:29 suggests this for Ephraim regarding Gezer, as Manasseh could not), but chose not to, indicating a moral and spiritual lapse rather than a military incapacity. This illustrates that spiritual battles are often lost not from lack of power, but from lack of resolve and faithful obedience.

Joshua 16 10 Commentary

Joshua 16:10 serves as a critical interpretive lens for understanding the subsequent narrative of Israel. Ephraim, as one of the most prominent tribes, sets a negative precedent by prioritizing practical expediency over divine instruction. Their decision to extract labor from the Canaanites of Gezer rather than expel them stemmed from a desire for economic gain and convenience, failing to grasp the profound spiritual danger posed by pagan presence. This was not a minor oversight; it was a fundamental compromise of God's command to entirely clear the land of its corrupting influences, meant to ensure Israel's distinctness and purity.

The immediate consequence of this partial obedience was the continued "dwelling" of the Canaanites among them, fostering conditions ripe for future religious syncretism and idolatry, as painfully elaborated in the Book of Judges. This highlights a crucial theological truth: partial obedience is, in God's eyes, disobedience, and it inevitably yields detrimental outcomes, both physically and spiritually. For believers, this serves as a potent reminder that our spiritual "conquest" – the putting to death of sin (Col 3:5) and the casting off of hindering weights (Heb 12:1) – must be complete and uncompromising. Lingering sinful patterns or compromises, like the Canaanites in Gezer, will continue to exert influence and impede our walk with God, even if they appear to offer some immediate, carnal "benefit." The call is for total commitment to Christ and His commands, eradicating all rivals for the heart.