Now when the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.
God wove the tribes together on purpose, Manasseh held cities within Ephraim, Issachar, and Asher so they would know each other, do good offices as brethren, and keep mutual correspondence. Yet both Manasseh and Ephraim broke faith by letting Canaanites live among them, making them tributaries for their own gain.
AI summary
Commenting on Joshua 17:7-13
Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxed strong,.... Increased in numbers, and became superior to the Canaanites, not only those of the tribe of Manasseh, but of the other tribes also: that they put the Canaanites to tribute; they did not take away their lives, as they were commanded to do, but made them tributaries to them, which seems to...
CANAANITES NOT DRIVEN OUT. (Jos 17:12-13) Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out those cities--probably due to indolence, a love of ease. Perhaps a mistaken humanity, arising from a disregard or forgetfulness of the divine command, and a decreasing principle of faith and zeal in the service of God, were the causes of their failure.
Commenting on Joshua 17:12-13