ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Pulelulu ‘Okatopa 6, 2021

they did not drive out the Canaanites

na‘e ‘ikai te nau kapusi ‘a e kakai Kēnani 

Siosiua 16 (Joshua 16)

(v. 10) Ka na‘e ‘ikai te nau kapusi ‘a e kakai Kēnani na‘e nofo ‘i Kēseli, ka ka nofo ai pē ‘a e kau Kēnani ‘i he lotolotonga ‘o ‘Ifalemi, ‘o a‘u ki he ‘aho ni, ‘o nau ngāue fatongia.

(v. 10) 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.

 

* G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible*

Next in order we have an account of the inheritance of Joseph divided between his sons Ephraim and Manasseh. The part allotted to Ephraim was a fertile and beautiful district, perhaps in many respects the most desirable in all the country. Nevertheless, it was a place of peculiar difficulty at the time from the fact that it lay still wholly in the power of the Canaanites. The campaigns of Joshua had not perfectly dealt with it and cities possessed by the Canaanites existed.

This, in itself is suggestive so far as Ephraim's responsibility was concerned. The richest tracts of country in the possessions which God intends for His people can be possessed only by victories over the strongest foes. The whole history of Ephraim was a sad one for long centuries and their failure began here and is recorded in the words, "And they drove not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell in the midst of Ephraim unto this day, and are become servants to do task-work."

 

*Commentary: David Guzik – Study Guide on the Psalms*

Their failure to completely drive out the Canaanites is typical of all the tribes.  Even within the Promised Land there remains important work to do and battles to fight.

Perhaps the people of Ephraim were guilty of this compromise because they wanted forced laborers among them.  Even this convenience does not justify their disobedience to God's command.

If they had the power to make the people of Gezer forced laborers, they certainly had the power to defeat them completely, especially because Gezer was a city that Joshua had already conquered (Joshua 10:33 and Joshua 12:12).

This sort of compromise seems innocent, but it became the way that much idolatry and immoral worship came into the people of Israel.  This is one reason why we see so many struggles in the days of the Judges.