Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yet the children of Manasseh couldn’t drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
- BSB But the descendants of Manasseh were unable to occupy these cities, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in this land.
- NKJV Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, but the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land.
- NASB But the sons of Manasseh could not take possession of these cities, because the Canaanites persisted in living in this land.
- NLT But the descendants of Manasseh were unable to occupy these towns because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that region.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, so the Canaanites continued to dwell in the land. Their inheritance was compromised by incomplete conquest.
Overview
Despite being granted these key cities, Manasseh failed to dispossess the Canaanites, mirroring the failure recorded of Ephraim. This left pockets of pagan influence that would later draw Israel into idolatry, especially around the fertile Jezreel valley. The repeated note of failure exposes Israel's weakness and need, pointing to the greater Joshua, Jesus, who alone secures a complete victory over every enemy of His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Exod 23:29–33I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
- Judg 1:27–28Neither 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.
- Josh 15:63As 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.
- Rom 6:12–14Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
- Josh 16:10And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.
- Num 33:52–56Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:
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Christ at the center
Joshua — the same name as Jesus, 'the LORD saves' — leads God's people into their inheritance, a shadow of the greater Joshua who brings us into the true rest and the promised land that remains.
How Joshua 17:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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