Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
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 the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of these cities,.... Mentioned in Jos 17:11; they had not strength at first to do it, or either were negligent and slothful, and suffered them to dwell among them, and did not take the advantage they might have done; and afterwards it was too late, they became too strong and numerous for them, at...
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