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.
The tribe of Manasseh did not drive out the people living in Beth-shean and its surrounding villages, or from Taanach and its villages, or from Dor and its villages, or from Ibleam and its villages, or from Megiddo and its villages. Instead, the Canaanites were determined to keep living in that land.
This verse shows that the tribe of Manasseh failed to completely obey God's command to remove the Canaanite people from their assigned territory.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during the period when the Israelites were settling in the Promised Land after their exodus from Egypt and wilderness wandering. God had commanded them to drive out all the Canaanite inhabitants to prevent spiritual corruption and idolatry. The cities mentioned were strategic locations in the fertile Jezreel Valley, making them economically and militarily important.
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