Judges 1:27 kjv
Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
Judges 1:27 nkjv
However, Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; for the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land.
Judges 1:27 niv
But Manasseh did not drive out the people of Beth Shan or Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their surrounding settlements, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that land.
Judges 1:27 esv
Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages, for the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land.
Judges 1:27 nlt
The tribe of Manasseh failed to drive out the people living in Beth-shan, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and all their surrounding settlements, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that region.
Judges 1 27 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 23:31-33 | I will set thy bounds from the Red sea... I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out... Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me. | God's command to drive out; no covenant; no dwelling. |
| Exo 34:11-16 | Observe thou that which I command thee this day... thou shalt make no league with the inhabitants... take wives of their daughters for thy sons. | Command to drive out and avoid alliances and intermarriage. |
| Num 33:50-56 | when ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you... If ye will not drive out the inhabitants... those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides. | Explicit command to drive out and consequence of failure. |
| Deu 7:1-6 | thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: But thou shalt destroy their altars... For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God. | Command for total separation and destruction of pagan worship. |
| Deu 9:4-5 | Not for thy righteousness... but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord doth drive them out. | Reason for driving out the Canaanites: their wickedness. |
| Deu 12:2-3 | Ye shall utterly destroy all the places... where the nations which ye shall possess served their gods. | Command to destroy places of idolatry. |
| Jos 1:6 | Only be thou strong and very courageous... for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land. | Command to Joshua regarding inheriting and conquering the land. |
| Jos 15:63 | As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day. | Parallel failure by Judah with the Jebusites. |
| Jos 16:10 | And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day. | Parallel failure by Ephraim with Gezer. |
| Jos 17:12-13 | Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. | Repeats the failure of Manasseh, reinforcing it. |
| Jos 23:12-13 | Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations... know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you. | Joshua's warning about the consequences of coexisting with the nations. |
| Jdg 1:21 | And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem. | Parallel failure by Benjamin. |
| Jdg 1:28 | And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out. | Shows Israel's compromise for gain instead of obedience. |
| Jdg 2:1-3 | I said, I will never break my covenant with you... wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. | God's pronouncement of judgment for their disobedience and its consequences. |
| Jdg 2:10-13 | there arose another generation... which knew not the Lord... And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, and followed other gods. | Direct link between unfulfilled conquest and apostasy. |
| Psa 106:34-36 | They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them; But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. | Recalls Israel's failure to drive out the nations, leading to idolatry. |
| Jer 2:27-28 | Saying to a stock, Thou art my father... For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah. | Prophetic echo of idolatry linked to their habitation. |
| Ezr 9:1-2 | The people of Israel... have not separated themselves from the people of the lands... For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people. | Later generations continue the sin of intermarriage/mixing. |
| Neh 9:8 | And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him... and hast given them the land of the Canaanites. | Highlights God's faithfulness in granting the land despite Israel's failures. |
| 2 Cor 6:14 | Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? | New Testament principle against unholy alliances, mirroring the Old Testament command for separation. |
| Eph 6:11-13 | Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities. | Spiritual warfare parallel: believers are to drive out spiritual enemies, not coexist. |
| Heb 4:1 | Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. | Spiritual parallel to Israel's failure to enter into or fully possess the promised rest. |
Judges 1 verses
Judges 1 27 Meaning
This verse details Manasseh's failure to fully dispossess the Canaanite inhabitants from several strategically important cities and their surrounding villages within the tribal inheritance. Despite God's command to drive out all the inhabitants, Manasseh allowed the Canaanites to remain, which represented a direct act of disobedience and compromise that would have lasting spiritual and societal consequences for Israel.
Judges 1 27 Context
Judges chapter 1 sets the stage for the entire book, immediately following the death of Joshua. It details the initial, partial successes and, more importantly, the significant failures of various Israelite tribes in completing the conquest of Canaan as commanded by God. These failures are primarily characterized by an unwillingness to drive out the indigenous Canaanite inhabitants from their allotted territories. This verse specifically highlights the shortcomings of Manasseh in securing control over a vital area of the land. Historically, the early Judges period was marked by the consolidation of tribal territories amidst continued presence of fortified Canaanite city-states, especially those possessing iron chariots. The strategic locations mentioned—Bethshean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, and Megiddo—controlled crucial trade routes and agricultural lands in the Jezreel Valley and along the Mediterranean coast, presenting a significant challenge to Israelite control and contributing to Israel's eventual apostasy due to their continued presence.
Judges 1 27 Word analysis
- Neither did Manasseh: The introductory negation ("neither did") immediately highlights a failure. Manasseh was a significant tribe, allotted land north of Ephraim, and was expected to play a crucial role in securing their inheritance. Their failure sets a tone of widespread disobedience among the tribes.
- drive out: Hebrew yāraš (יָרַשׁ), meaning "to dispossess, inherit, occupy, take possession of." This verb encapsulates the divine command given to Israel multiple times (e.g., Deut 7:1-2) to completely remove the previous inhabitants. The failure to "drive out" was a direct violation of God's explicit instruction.
- the inhabitants: Hebrew yōshĕbē (יוֹשְׁבֵי), referring to those dwelling or settling in a place. These were the people God commanded Israel to displace, specifically for their wickedness and so Israel would not be corrupted by their practices.
- Bethshean and her towns: Bethshean (modern Beth She'an) was a powerful Canaanite city-state in the eastern Jezreel Valley, strategically important for controlling access from the Jordan River into the valley. "Her towns" (Hebrew bĕnōtêhā, בְּנוֹתֶיהָ, "its daughters") refers to the surrounding dependent villages and smaller settlements.
- Taanach and her towns: Taanach was located in the southwestern part of the Jezreel Valley, controlling an important pass. Along with Megiddo, it was a stronghold guarding trade routes.
- Dor and her towns: Dor was a significant coastal city, just south of Mount Carmel. Its presence indicated that Manasseh failed to secure the coast, a crucial area for trade and strategic control.
- Ibleam and her towns: Ibleam (Yibqa'm) was also in the Jezreel Valley, likely south of Megiddo. These cities together formed a defensive line controlling the valley.
- Megiddo and her towns: Megiddo was perhaps the most prominent of the mentioned cities, controlling the "Valley of Jezreel" (Armageddon, Rev 16:16), a strategic location for trade and military movements. The archaeological findings reveal strong fortifications, suggesting the immense challenge they presented.
- but the Canaanites: Hebrew hak-kĕna‘anî (הַכְּנַעֲנִי), emphasizing the presence of the indigenous population that God had condemned and commanded to be removed.
- would dwell: Hebrew hōshīv (הוֹשֵׁב), from yāshaḇ, meaning "to settle down, reside," in this context, implying a continuation of residence. It indicates a passive acceptance by Israel rather than an inability or an active defeat of attempts to dispossess them.
- in that land: Refers to the land of Canaan, which God had promised to Israel as their inheritance but was not fully claimed.
- Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants... but the Canaanites would dwell in that land: This is a statement of failed obedience and compromised conquest. It explicitly states Manasseh's inaction or inability to follow through on the divine mandate, leading directly to the Canaanites' continued presence. This forms a crucial literary and theological pivot, setting up the pattern of apostasy and judgment that dominates the book of Judges. The failure to "drive out" means they effectively tolerated the presence of those whose cultural and religious practices were anathema to YHWH's covenant.
- Bethshean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: The detailed list of formidable city-states highlights the magnitude of the unconquered territory. These cities were strong, strategically located, often fortified, and possibly possessed superior military technology (e.g., iron chariots mentioned elsewhere in Judges 1). Their unconquered status meant that central Israel remained vulnerable and that significant idolatrous strongholds remained.
Judges 1 27 Bonus section
The sustained presence of the Canaanites in these critical regions meant that Israel was effectively fractured. Key north-south and east-west routes were still controlled by hostile forces, limiting Israel's territorial consolidation, hindering communication between the northern and southern tribes, and fostering local rather than national identity. This compromise paved the way for a protracted spiritual and cultural war. While the difficulty of dislodging powerful city-states (likely equipped with advanced iron chariots as referenced elsewhere in Judges 1) is acknowledged, the text frames it as a failure of obedience and commitment, not an insurmountable military challenge that YHWH could not have overcome if His people had been wholly devoted.
Judges 1 27 Commentary
Judges 1:27 is a critical verse within the unfolding narrative of Judges, starkly highlighting Israel's primary failure at the outset of their post-Joshua era: disobedience to God's command to fully dispossess the Canaanites. Manasseh's inability or unwillingness to drive out the inhabitants of strategically vital cities like Bethshean, Taanach, and Megiddo, located in the agriculturally rich and militarily significant Jezreel Valley, and coastal Dor, demonstrates a foundational compromise. This wasn't merely a military shortcoming, but a spiritual one, reflecting a lack of faith, courage, and complete obedience to God's clear directive. By allowing the Canaanites to remain, Israel inadvertently sowed seeds of future apostasy, idolatry, and intermarriage, fulfilling the warnings given by God and Joshua. This ongoing coexistence ensured that the cultural and religious practices of the Canaanites would inevitably "snare" Israel, leading to the repeated cycles of sin, oppression, and deliverance that define the rest of the book.