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Answer
Joshua 17:12–13 states, “The Manassites could not take over these towns because the Canaanites were determined to live in that area. However, as the Israelites grew stronger, they made the Canaanites work for them but did not completely drive them out.” Why did the Israelites not fully eliminate the Canaanites as God had instructed?
Judges 1:27–33 also recounts how the Israelites failed to finish conquering the land by removing the Canaanites. Verses 27–28 mention, “Manasseh did not displace the inhabitants of Beth Shan, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, and Megiddo, along with their surrounding settlements, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that territory. When Israel grew stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work for them but did not drive them out completely.”
During that period of power, the Israelites enslaved the Canaanites instead of annihilating them. It is possible that the Israelites thought enslaving these people was more advantageous than exterminating them, although the text does not explicitly state a reason. Nevertheless, Judges 2 indicates that this choice was part of Israel’s disobedience, leading to further complications.
In Judges 2:1–3, the angel of the Lord conveys a message to Israel: “I brought you out of Egypt and into the land I promised to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall not make a covenant with the inhabitants of this land, but you shall tear down their altars.’ Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? And I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.’” These Canaanites would persist in the land and pose as adversaries to the Israelites, causing trouble for years to come. The challenges detailed in the Book of Judges stem from the incompleteLet’s explore obedience in the Book of Joshua.
It is evident that God chose Israel as His people not because they were the most faithful but out of His love for them (see Deuteronomy 7:7-8). God decided to fulfill His covenant with Abraham and his descendants, leading the children of Israel into their land despite their numerous failures.
While it is simple to reflect on the weaknesses of the ancient Israelites, their example highlights our need for God as well. Despite God’s many blessings, we also fail Him. That is why God sent His perfect Son, Jesus Christ, to stand in for our sins. Through faith in Him, we can have a relationship with God today and eternal life (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).
